Joseph T. Burns: “I have always said that I support free trade, as long as it is fair trade. The Morocco free-trade agreement before us…”

“I have always said that I support free trade, as long as it is fair trade. The Morocco free-trade agreement before us today is an excellent example of that principle. Once this agreement goes into effect, 95 percent of the tariffs on consumer and industrial goods are eliminated, with the remaining tariffs eliminated in 9 years. This deal represents the best access to a developing country yet. I applaud Ambassador Zoellick for his hard work in achieving a balanced free trade agreement that provides significant benefits to both trade partners. Morocco imports more than $11 billion in goods each year, with $475 million coming from the United States. We have an opportunity to increase the United States presence in this emerging market. Current circumstances are certainly less than ideal for American goods: imports from the United States face a stiff tariff, over 20 percent. In Montana, we have not yet benefited from trade with Morocco, and I can only hope that passage of this agreement today will allow us to begin exploring the advantages that it can offer Montanans and Moroccans alike, without unreasonable tariff barriers for our products. I am especially pleased at the agriculture provisions in this FTA. Too often, free trade agreements represent a losing deal for Montana's farmers and ranchers, but I believe this agreement shows a commitment to fair trade for agriculture.”