Bipartisan Trade Priorities Act

Floor Speech

(Mr. SMITH of Nebraska asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)

Mr. SMITH of Nebraska. Mr. Speaker, given the fact that 95 percent of consumers live outside our borders, the U.S. must continue to pursue trade opportunities. The U.S. actually had a trade surplus with our 20 trade agreement partners in 2012.

Trade agreements expand opportunities and fuel competition, which benefits consumers and can strengthen and protect American interests around the world. Though trade agreements make sense strategically and economically, some nations, however, are not playing by the rules.

Barriers to agriculture are the most pressing issue for my home State of Nebraska, but every industry is subjected to outdated tariffs and nonscientific barriers which countries fashion to protect their own domestic industries.

If the U.S. fails to lead, our exports will be placed at a competitive disadvantage to those from countries moving forward with aggressive trade agendas. To enhance U.S. leverage in the marketplace, we need to pass the Bipartisan Trade Priorities Act. By renewing this act, we would demonstrate seriousness about formulating enforceable, science-based rules and empower the rest of the world to follow suit.

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