Byron Dorgan: “of course the Senator from Iowa is correct; the Constitution does provide in article I, section 8, that the Congress…”

“of course the Senator from Iowa is correct; the Constitution does provide in article I, section 8, that the Congress shall have the power to regulate commerce with foreign nations--not the President, not the trade ambassador, but the Congress. That is in the Constitution of this country. The Congress has, over some period of time, decided it would like to put handcuffs on itself so these handcuffs would prevent it from being involved in any trade negotiation or trade agreement that came back to the Congress. If it did not like a provision, if it thought a provision was not in accordance with this country's interests, the Congress will have said, by fast track or trade promotion authority, no, we are not allowed to offer amendments to that trade agreement. Congress has done that on previous occasions. I do not support that. I do not believe it is appropriate. What the Senators from Minnesota and Idaho are saying with respect to fast track, or trade promotion authority, which will tie the Congress's hands, at least in regard to the issue of providing trade remedies for trade abuses that exist, that our businesses and our employees in this country have to try to deal with, at least with respect to those trade remedies, Congress ought to have a say in that if someone negotiates a trade agreement that weakens those trade remedies. We have had plenty of examples: Section 22 was largely negotiated away; section 301 has been diminished in importance.…”