Byron Dorgan: “Senator Olympia Snowe and I have sent a letter to President Clinton indicating to him that we do not believe it is…”

“Senator Olympia Snowe and I have sent a letter to President Clinton indicating to him that we do not believe it is appropriate to extend fast-track trade authority and that we would oppose the extension of fast-track trade authority. Fast track is a trade procedure by which the Congress says to an administration, any administration, you go out and negotiate a trade agreement with some other country or group of countries, and then the trade agreement is brought back to the Senate or the House and must be considered on something called fast track. This means the Senate and House must vote on it up or down with no opportunity to amend it. Fast track means no opportunity to amend it. You bring it to the Senate. The Senate votes yes or no, and that is the end of it. We do not use fast-track authority on the arms control agreements.”