Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015 --- Continued

Floor Speech

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Mr. COTTON. Mr. President, in 1941, in an address delivered at an
event in honor of the Canadian Prime Minister, Winston Churchill
famously declared, ``Canada is the linchpin of the English-speaking
world.'' As with most things, Churchill was able to see deeper truths
and recognize Canada for what it really is. Today, I wish to recognize
the close and vital relationship between the United States and Canada,
our great neighbor to the north. Canada is a critical partner to both
America and Arkansas. We ought to find every way to strengthen our
relationship and avoid every possible trouble on the horizon.

The bond between the United States and Canada starts with our common
heritage and our common way of life, including individuals rights,
constitutional democracy, the rule of law, open markets, and the
defense of freedom around the world. Canada has stood with the United
States in our toughest hours to defend our common way of life. Canadian
troops fought alongside our GIs on D-day at Juno Beach, where 1 in
every 13 Canadians perished. After the 9/11 attacks, Canada was one of
the first countries to join our campaign in Afghanistan, where 158
brave Canadians died on the battlefield--the rough equivalent of 1,400
American troops. As with our own soldiers, we honor their ultimate
sacrifice and entrust their families to the tender care of a loving
providence.

Canada has also been a willing partner in many other security and
humanitarian operations around the globe, including Libya, Haiti, and
the NATO-led stabilization force in Bosnia-Herzegovina in the 1990s.
Moreover, Canada is part of the Five Eyes intelligence partnership,
which has its roots in World War II. This partnership is vital to our
national security, helping, for example, to disrupt a 2013 Al Qaeda-
associated plot to derail a train traveling between New York and
Canada. If successful, this attack could have killed dozens, perhaps
even hundreds.

Canada and the United States also share the world's longest border--
and the world's longest peaceful border. Over 300,000 people cross our
shared border every day by every mode of transport. Americans too often
forget ours is the most secure and mutually beneficial international
relationship among nations, taking for granted our peaceful partner to
the north. Our success as the global superpower and the ability to
protect our interests and global stability depends heavily on our
peaceful and productive relationship with Canada. Without it, the New
World would not be able to project power into the Old.

Our relationship with Canada is indeed productive, as Canada has
remained our best and most important trading partner. Last year, $759
billion in goods and services moved between Canada and the United
States. To put that into perspective, Canada purchased more goods from
the United States than did all 28 members of the European Union
combined and 2\1/2\ times more than did China. These purchases included
everything from raw materials to paper produced in Ashdown, rice milled
in Stuttgart, and construction hardware manufactured in Blytheville.

Moreover, Canada is the largest supplier of energy to the United
States. In January, in fact, the United States imported more oil from
Canada than all OPEC countries combined, and Canada produces 97 percent
of all U.S. natural gas imports. Of course, these numbers would be even
greater if President Obama would finally approve the Keystone XL
Pipeline which would also create thousands of high-paying American and
Canadian jobs.

Arkansas, like America as a whole, has benefited immensely from our
close ties to Canada. Agricultural products, iron and steel produced in
Arkansas factories, and countless other products manufactured in the
natural state find their way to our friends in the north, providing
Arkansans with good customers and good jobs. Indeed, Canada is
Arkansas' No. 1 foreign customer and 66,000 Arkansas jobs depend on
United States-Canada trade and investment, which totals $2.3 billion
every year.

Some of Arkansas' most recognizable names reflect these Arkansas-
Canada ties. Murphy Oil, headquartered in El Dorado, has operated in
Canada for over 60 years, producing oil and natural gas through stakes
in several projects off the coast of Newfoundland and in Alberta and
British Columbia. Walmart has also had a strong presence in Canada for
over 20 years. Today, they employ over 90,000 Canadians across nearly
400 retail stores. Tyson and Skippy Peanut Butter are just two of the
household names produced in Arkansas that are pantry staples in Canada.
With agricultural products making up nearly 20 percent of Arkansas'
exports to Canada, Arkansas' ranchers and farmers help round out
Canada's pantries and freezers.

Given these warm, longstanding ties to Canada, my team and I have
worked closely with the Canadian Embassy during my time in Congress to promote
and strengthen our relationship. Unfortunately, the Obama
administration at times has impeded it. The Keystone Pipeline, for
instance, is not just good for American jobs but also a critical
project for Canada's economy. Yet President Obama dismissed it as mere
Canadian oil from Canadian companies--cavalier comments that minimize
the pipeline's benefits for American workers, while also manifesting a
casual disregard for our close ally's interests.

Now we are seeing this neglect again with country-of-origin labeling
requirements for meat products processed in the United States which
threaten to disrupt trade between our two countries. These so-called
COOL regulations needlessly require different labeling for products
born, raised or slaughtered in either country. Today, processors are
forced to either operate two production lines to keep their Canadian-
born or raised cattle separate from those born and raised in the United
States or maintain extensive records on where each head of cattle came
from. These regulations unduly burden Canadian producers and American
processors while also violating our treaty obligations. Yet they
deliver little value to consumers.

Yet, despite multiple adverse rulings from the World Trade
Organization, the administration continues to pursue appeals, a process
which is expected to end next month. As a result of these trade
barriers and WTO rulings, Canada may be forced to impose reciprocal
trade barriers on American products. Unfortunately, products already
targeted for trade barriers include Arkansas rice, poultry, grains, and
beef. If the administration does not relent, nearly $130 million in
Arkansas agricultural trade with Canada will be threatened--more than
half our State's annual total.

We should put a stop now to this trade dispute that no one intended
and no one wants. I stand ready to work with my fellow Senators and the
administration to modify the labeling requirements at the earliest
opportunity following a final WTO ruling. It will be good for Arkansas'
farmers and ranchers, good for American consumers, and good for the
health of the United States-Canada partnership. Let's work together to
fix this problem, protect American jobs, and help our neighbor to the
north remain our linchpin in the world.

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