Joseph T. Burns: “Today we are considering the United States-Australia Free Trade Agreement. There is a lot to commend in the agreement…”

“Today we are considering the United States-Australia Free Trade Agreement. There is a lot to commend in the agreement before us. This deal is expected to add over $490 million annually to the U.S. economy. The benefits of this agreement to the manufacturing sector of America are significant. Tariffs on nearly all U.S. exports of manufactured goods are immediately eliminated. Intellectual property rights protections will be expanded, as will progress towards enhanced trade through e-commerce. I commend Ambassador Zoellick for his hard work on this deal. I have been to Australia many times, and I have met with Prime Minister John Howard. The U.S. and Australia share many interests. We share similar values, similar standards of living, and similar goals. Australia is a close friend and important ally in the war on terror, and I recognize the value of our relationship. Because of the overall benefit to our economy and the close friendship the U.S. shares with Australia, I will be supporting this agreement today. However, I have some reservations about the impact of this deal on Montana farmers...”