On the recordOctober 12, 2011
We ought to add the protection of the environment to this criteria. I raised it in our Ways and Means hearing. The thought was we were going to go ahead and not adjust the status quo, but the protection of the environment exerts tremendous influence on international trade. The trade in illegally logged timber, for instance, costs the U.S.-based legal timber industry billions of dollars a year. If we truly expect trade to be a tool of development, trade must support environmental protections in our partner nations as our free trade agreements do. Concern for the environment is a core element of development. It reflects the appreciation for civil law, for the protection of the rights of individuals, and of a concern for the long-term sustainability of state and society and of the planet. It should have a place in our GSP program. I hope when it comes next before us that we've added environmental protections to the criteria.
