John Culberson: “I think the scale of the cut would be devastating to the agency. Houston, Texas, is one of the premier exporting centers…”

“I think the scale of the cut would be devastating to the agency. Houston, Texas, is one of the premier exporting centers of the United States, and it is important that we do everything in our power. The Federal Government does have an obligation to enforce trade agreements to make sure that trade is fair and free and that subsidies that are unfairly used by foreign governments to support their own industries, that we have got some way to counterbalance that. That is the essential function of this agency. So, therefore, I would ask Members to oppose this amendment. I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr. Chairman, I want to reiterate that this does not in any way affect the enforcement activities of the ITA. It does not in any way affect the measures that Mr. Poliquin of Maine just referenced. It affects only the trade promotion activities of the ITA that have been singled out time and again as being duplicative of what the companies profiting from these activities should be paying for themselves or are duplicative of other programs. It is only the trade promotion activities. None of the enforcement activities are affected by this amendment. I would ask for an ``aye'' vote. I yield back the balance of my time. The Acting CHAIR. The question is on the amendment offered by the gentleman from California (Mr. McClintock). The question was taken; and the Acting Chair announced that the noes appeared to have it. Mr. McCLINTOCK. Mr.…”