Ann Wagner: “I thank the chairman for his leadership and support. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 311, the resolution…”

“I thank the chairman for his leadership and support. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of H. Res. 311, the resolution I was honored to introduce with my colleague Representative Castro, to commemorate the Association of South East Asian Nations' 50th anniversary, and the 40th anniversary of U.S.-ASEAN relations. We intend for this resolution to raise awareness within and outside of Congress about Southeast Asia's critical role in the global order. Southeast Asia has tremendous cultural, political, historical, and religious diversity. The Association of South East Asian Nations, known as ASEAN, was formed in 1967, in part, to create a bulwark against communism in the region among the five founding nations. Today, ASEAN's goals have evolved, and the region is experiencing tremendous growth. ASEAN now includes 10 major countries in Southeast Asia, which together have established a major regional economic integration agenda. ASEAN is our fourth largest goods exports market. $102 billion of U.S. goods and services are exported to ASEAN, meaning this market rivals our $113 billion market in China. According to the ASEAN Matters for America report, 20 U.S. States send over $1 billion in goods exports to ASEAN annually, and over half of the U.S. congressional districts export over $100 million to ASEAN each year. These numbers are astounding, and they will only grow, Mr. Speaker.…”