Trent Lott: “My impression is that after we complete the energy legislation, and presumably the campaign finance reform issue--I…”

“My impression is that after we complete the energy legislation, and presumably the campaign finance reform issue--I guess that could be even after the Easter recess--the next order of business would be the budget resolution. Then Senator Daschle indicated we would go to trade at that point. I am not sure exactly what that means I presume sometime in late April or May. But I do agree we need to act on this legislation. It is very unfortunate we did not move the Andean Trade Promotion Authority, which has also been reported by the House and been reported out by the Finance Committee but has not been cleared by the Senate. The President will be going to Peru this very week. The ambassadors and foreign ministers and Presidents of those countries, the Andean countries, had requested this legislation be passed, and indicated to me it had gone beyond being an issue of trade; it had gotten to be a very serious political problem in those countries. I am wondering about what exactly is the U.S. commitment to opportunity, trade options, and prosperity in those regions.”