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[Page H248]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
TODAY IS A GREAT DAY FOR AMERICA
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from
Kansas (Mr. Marshall) for 5 minutes.
Mr. MARSHALL. Mr. Speaker, today is a great day for America. It is
great day for American agriculture and American manufacturing.
Today, the President signs phase one of the China trade deal. But
this news, the most important news of the day, won't be covered much by
the national media. Instead, the story, the photo of the day will be
Speaker Pelosi parading her tardy Articles of Impeachment to the Senate
with pomp and circumstance. America can only hope this is the last
chapter on this side of the capitol of this made-for-TV impeachment
charade.
Why won't the national media cover this trade agreement story?
Because it is another example of a promise made, promise kept by our
President. It is another example of our President's policies working.
Once the Chinese trade agreement is completed, the President will
have renegotiated over half of our country's export-import business.
Now, that is making America great again. That is the art of the deal.
As part of the phase one agreement, China will buy $200 billion worth
of American goods and services over the next 2 years, nearly doubling
our U.S. exports to the country and further narrowing the gap of our
longstanding trade agreements and deficits. Agriculture goods will
account for nearly $100 billion of these purchases, providing a much-
needed boost to the industry that accounts for more than 40 percent of
our Kansas State's economy. All this increase in exports only adds to
our Nation's GDP.
In the near term, this deal brings an end to the threat of additional
tariffs that have caused commodity prices to fluctuate, giving
producers more certainty and the ability to better plan for the
upcoming growing seasons. Our farmers and ranchers have borne the brunt
of the effects of this trade battle, and I am happy to say things will
get better soon. The patriotism our Kansas producers have shown has
been nothing short of honorable.
Now, concerns about China upholding its end of the phase one
agreement are indeed legitimate. Decades of China reneging on
commitments aren't lost on me, but thankfully our negotiation team, led
by our trade representative Bob Lighthizer and a fellow Kansan, Gregg
Doud, require that this deal include the authority for the President to
swiftly reinstate all tariffs and impose new ones, if needed, and thus
avoid the long, drawn-out decisions by the WTO.
Global trade disputes don't end overnight, and as the President and
his team have acknowledged, there is still a lot of work to be done on
China. Phase two negotiations are already well under way, and I will
continue to advocate for Kansas agriculture and manufacturing directly
to this administration.
President Trump's efforts to solidify deals with our four largest
export markets, Mexico, Canada, Japan, and now China will give Kansans
the confidence needed to move into the next decade and beyond. These
four countries, along with the completed trade deal with South Korea,
represent over half of our country's trade. This sets the stage for the
rest of our trade agreements.
We made it through this hard pass, and better days of fair and
reciprocal trade lie ahead for many generations.
I thank the President and our entire trade team at USTR for their
efforts to protect and grow American jobs, to improve wages, for their
commitment to make and keep America great. Keep up the good work.
____________________