Bill Clinton photo

Statement on House of Representatives Action on Reciprocal Trade Agreement Authorities Legislation

September 25, 1998

At a time of global financial turmoil, we should be working together to build a new bipartisan international economic policy that strengthens America's competitive edge. Renewing traditional authority is the right thing to do, but now was clearly the wrong time to vote on it.

The House of Representatives should focus its energies on making sure that the International Monetary Fund is strong enough to confront the financial crisis that threatens our economy today. That legislation has strong bipartisan support in the Senate but has become entangled in politics in the House. Strengthening the IMF is the single most important thing we can do now to protect American farmers, ranchers, and workers who depend on exports to make a living.

At a time when we need to forge a new consensus on trade, Congress has chosen partisanship over progress. To move our trade policy forward this year, Congress still has time to enact important legislation, from the Africa trade legislation to the global shipbuilding treaty and the Caribbean Basin Initiative. And when Congress returns next year, we should do the hard work of building a bipartisan coalition for traditional negotiating authority so that we can build on our successful record of expanding markets for American goods, services, and agricultural exports.

William J. Clinton, Statement on House of Representatives Action on Reciprocal Trade Agreement Authorities Legislation Online by Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/node/224500

Filed Under

Categories

Simple Search of Our Archives