Byron Dorgan: “I have come to this Senate Chamber to support the trade agreement that is brought to the floor today. I believe it will…”

“I have come to this Senate Chamber to support the trade agreement that is brought to the floor today. I believe it will be approved by the Senate by unanimous consent. Perhaps not, but I am told that it will be approved by the Senate, in any event. I have been a critic of our trade policies. I have been a critic and have voted against a fair number of trade agreements. This trade agreement, it seems to me, is a reasonable agreement. It is with an abiding friend, Jordan, that has been a very helpful country to us. We have had a long and good friendship with the country of Jordan. This trade agreement includes in it some provisions dealing with the environment and labor. I think this is a breakthrough and a step in the right direction. While trade relations between the United States and Jordan are important, the size of our trade is not very extensive. As a trading partner, Jordan ranks 98th. While I do not think the U.S.-Jordan Free Trade Agreement is going to, in one way or another, affect our country's trade balance, I want to say that at this time and place our country needs to worry about its trade policies on a much broader context. I have brought a chart with me that shows our country's ballooning trade deficit. For years, we have seen relentless growth in it. At the same time, there has been a systematic lack of concern among policymakers about it. It's as if they say: Well, it is happening, so let it happen.…”