Max Baucus: “today I--along with Senator Hatch and Senator Stabenow--introduce the Trade Competitiveness Act of 2006, a bill that…”

“today I--along with Senator Hatch and Senator Stabenow--introduce the Trade Competitiveness Act of 2006, a bill that will provide the administration with additional tools, resources, and accountability to enforce international trade agreements. This bill is the first in a comprehensive package of legislation that I will introduce during the next few weeks to bolster American competitiveness. The United States is still a world leader in almost every way imaginable. But we need a bold agenda to maintain America's economic leadership and preserve high-wage American jobs here at home. I just got back from China and India, and that trip only underscored the challenges we face in the global economy. To rise to this challenge, my bills will address trade and all other keystones of America's competitiveness--education, energy, health, savings, research, and tax policy. But today, we start with international trade. Trade and investment in international markets is a challenge that I have asked U.S. companies to embrace. I want American companies to get aggressive about getting their products and their people into foreign markets to bolster the U.S. presence around the world and bring jobs and dollars back home. But when American companies embrace these new market opportunities, they need to know that the American government will back them up. They need to know that we will do all that we can to make sure our trading partners play by the rules.…”