Angie Craig: “Since Congress gave the President fast-track trade negotiating authority in August of 2002, we have had to face the…”

“Since Congress gave the President fast-track trade negotiating authority in August of 2002, we have had to face the reality that comes with it. I supported giving the President that authority because clearly the executive branch is the branch that negotiates trade agreements. But while giving him that authority, I said that I would look at each trade agreement and study it thoroughly to determine whether I believed it was in the best interests of our country to approve it, and, as important, in the best interests of my State of Idaho. Three agreements have been reached and Congress has dealt with all three of them. I have voted for two of those three. The administration has been actively pursuing a vigorous bilateral and free-trade agenda around the world, and I believe it is in the best interests of our country, both economically and socially, to trade where we can, when we can, as long as it is fair and balanced and it recognizes all of the tradeoffs involved. Trade with foreign nations is a valuable component to promoting economic opportunities at home. This is not a one-sided economic playing field. If we were to produce only that which America consumed, then, working America, half of you go home. It is clearly in our best interests to trade and we know that. At the same time, we should not be trading off one segment of our economy against another. Trade agreements ought to be there to promote general economic growth in our country.…”