Joseph Knollenberg: “I rise today to support normal trade relations for China. American workers benefit most from the trading status with…”

“I rise today to support normal trade relations for China. American workers benefit most from the trading status with China. The facts I think are very clear. If we reject MFN, we do not improve the trade deficit, but we do lower or approve the loss of exports to China. In my State of Michigan alone, there is some $215 million in exports and over 5,000 jobs. If we translate that into the USA entirely, it is 228,000 jobs. China has been reported as the world's third largest economy, after the United States and Japan. It has, by far, the world's highest annual growth rate of 9 percent. We cannot exclude American companies, farmers, workers, goods, and services from this large market. For the sake of our businesses, our jobs, and our workers, we must reject this resolution. We must not slam the door on one-fourth of the world's population. If we really want to promote human rights and civil rights, and I do, and we want to plant the seeds of mutual understanding, then continue normal trade relations. I urge opposition of this resolution.”