Congressional Record, Senate, May 20, 2020 — The WTO, Political Prisoners, Heroes Act
Summary
Senate pages of the Congressional Record for May 20, 2020, at page S2526. A senator argues that the WTO is deeply flawed and calls on the Senate to take a vote to withdraw from it, saying the Senate has never exercised that right since 1995. The speaker also offers two principles to guide policy and urges new trade agreements with partner nations. Mr. Grassley then speaks under the heading Political Prisoners about political prisoners in Turkey, Syria, China and other countries, saying they ought to be released now, and begins remarks under the heading Heroes Act.
Summary drafted by a model from the document's text below and checked by script against that text before publication. It is a navigation aid, not a reading of what the document proves. Where AI is used
Cite this document
“Congressional Record, Senate, May 20, 2020 — The WTO, Political Prisoners, Heroes Act.”
Original at www.govinfo.gov. Archived at Pandemic Darlings, https://pandemicdarlings.com/source-documents/crec-crec-2020-05-20-crec-2020-05-20-pt1-pgs2526-472297fffe/
, SHA-256 540b204527c10f0585f12ffe42b2fd9806f6c0ae1946af038deb1c4ee9620174.Full text
S2526 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE May 20, 2020
China entered the organization even We in America cannot compromise would serve as a powerful counter-
though China was already the sixth our sovereign right to protect the weight to China’s expanding Belt and
richest nation in the world by GDP in American people and their livelihoods, Road Initiative, and it would boost de-
the year 2000. China jealously guards so we must replace an empire of law- mand for our products, raising wages
that sweetheart deal even today, allow- yers with the confederation of truly and creating good jobs along the way.
ing it to defer its obligations, to skirt mutual trade. Mutual trade will re- Here again, our aim must be to build
the rules we follow, and to continue to quire a new approach to dispute resolu- networks of strong partners able to
amass power at our expense. tion, one that will offer nations flexi- stand tall against Chinese aggression
I could go on. bility and choice, allow countries to while strengthening our workers and
The WTO places strict limits on the litigate trade disputes like a private fostering our industries.
support we can provide our farmers and contract, through third-party arbitra- A new departure is upon us whether
ranchers, even as other nations refuse tion chosen by the parties on a case-by- we like it or not. The old order is giv-
to comply with WTO rulings in favor of case basis, with ground rules agreed ing way. The future need not be lim-
our producers. upon by both sides and subject to revi- ited, however, not for this country.
It is clear that the WTO is deeply sions as circumstances warrant, or This moment is full of promise if we
flawed. The institution’s design makes allow countries to set up enforcement have the courage to lead.
it nearly impossible to reform, as we procedures within the trade agree- We can build a future that looks be-
saw during the failed go-around, and it ments themselves, like we have done in yond pandemic to prosperity—a pros-
remains completely ill-equipped to deal our recent phase 1 negotiations with perity shared by all Americans, from
with forced technology transfer and in- China. On either approach, choices over the rural towns of our country to the
tellectual property theft like we have urban core.
trade will be made and policies will be
seen from China for decades. We can build a future that looks past
set, as they should be, by elected lead-
The American people get the idea. No a failed consensus to meet the national
trade regime can last when it no longer ers who are accountable to the people, security needs of this new century.
serves the people of the countries that not by a court sitting in Geneva. We can build a future that transcends
But reform should not stop at trade. the narrow thinking of the Washington
are part of it. The truth is, our inter-
We must also think seriously about beltway and that gives confidence to
ests and those of the WTO diverged
what occurs upstream from trade, and American workers and to the commu-
many years ago. The WTO is a symbol
that means global capital. There is a nities they call home.
of an economic order whose Wilsonian
reason why Wall Street loves the sta- With a global economy that better
ambitions have cost this country dear-
tus quo. There is a reason why they suits our interests, that better protects
ly, enabling and empowering the rise of
an imperialist China. will object to leaving the WTO and re- our people, we can find the strength
Now, American leadership is re- sist major reforms to our global eco- and purpose to counter the gravest
quired—it is essential—to chart a new nomic order. That is because they are danger to American workers in a cen-
course. This Nation has never been on a gravy train of foreign capital tury and to unleash again the promise
content to linger in the rear while oth- flows that keep their checkbooks fat. of our unique and marvelous way of
ers lead the way, and we will not begin But this foreign money pouring into life.
now. We will lead. We will act. our country has a distorting effect. We To my colleagues in the Senate, I
I call on this body to do its part by get asset bubbles that could spur reces- say: It is time to lead.
taking a vote to withdraw from the sions, and our exporters have trouble Thank you.
WTO. The agreement by which we selling abroad. Our farmers and pro- I yield the floor.
joined that organization expressly af- ducers know this problem all too well. The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Sen-
fords us this right. It commits to Con- So now we must work for new agree- ator from Iowa is recognized.
gress—both Houses—the right to de- ments and better managed capital mar- POLITICAL PRISONERS
bate the WTO’s workings and the right kets to stop currency manipulators and Mr. GRASSLEY. Madam President, I
to vote to continue in the WTO or to to protect this Nation’s producers. By rise for two reasons: one, for a very
withdraw. This is a right—it is our re- moderating these flows of foreign short comment on political prisoners
sponsibility, really—that the Senate money, we can help give a much needed in foreign lands, and the other one on
has never exercised since 1995, not one boost to our producers at home and fi- how the CARES Act is developing and
time. We are past due. nally reverse our massive trade deficit the reaction to it.
We should take up our responsibility with China and with the world. First of all, our country is now hope-
and debate this issue critical to the fu- Finally, actions at home are only fully recovering from COVID–19, so I
ture of our country, and we should vote part of the solution. Trade and current want to take this opportunity to ad-
to leave. To begin a new era, we must policy, after all, are not made in a vac- dress the plight of an extremely vul-
end the old. So let’s vote, and let it be uum. The world is changing, and if we nerable population—political prisoners
a new beginning. Let the work begin in are to halt China’s bid for hegemony abroad.
earnest to forge a new way forward. over the coming decades, we will need In Turkey, Syria, China, and a lot of
Thinking of that future, I offer two to work with our allies and partners to other countries, political prisoners re-
principles to guide our policy. do it. So it is in America’s interest to main locked away in crowded prisons
First, as a member of the world econ- see that other free nations grow strong without adequate medical care. The
omy, we must never privilege the pref- and that we are able to work together spread of COVID–19 among this popu-
erences of other nations or multilat- to deter and defeat Chinese economic lation dramatically increases the risk
eral institutions over the needs of our coercion. of serious medical consequences or
own people and our own workers. As We benefit if countries that share our even death.
the leader of the free world, we must opposition to Chinese imperialism— Authoritarian regimes only risk fur-
empower other countries to resist Chi- countries like India, Japan, Vietnam, ther destabilization of their countries
nese imperialism at every turn, wheth- Australia, and Taiwan—are economi- by jailing the innocent. Political pris-
er on their own or standing together cally independent of China and stand- oners ought to be released, and they
with us as a coalition. ing shoulder to shoulder with us. So we ought to be released now.
To put these principles into action, should actively pursue new networks of HEROES ACT
we must leave the WTO and construct mutual trade with key Asian and Euro- Madam President, at the beginning of
a new trade system that helps the pean partners, like the economic pros- March, we worked to get ahead of the
United States grow strong. This new perity network recently mentioned by COVID pandemic, and an amazing
dlhill on DSK120RN23PROD with SENATE
system should retain and deepen the Secretary Pompeo. thing happened. Congress came to-
principle of reciprocity. It should en- We should offer partner nations new gether quickly and developed a broad
courage cooperation and market access incentives to support the purchase of package of measures to provide relief
but without compromising nations’ our products made here in America by to families, workers, and businesses to
economic sovereignty and their inter- American workers. A new system of ex- weather the COVID–19 event and the
nal control of their own economies. port financing and loan guarantees crisis that it is.
VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:43 May 21, 2020 Jkt 099060 PO 00000 Frm 00016 Fmt 4637 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G20MY6.024 S20MYPT1
File and source
- File
- CREC_crec-2020-05-20_crec-2020-05-20-pt1-pgs2526.pdf
- Size
- 205,712 bytes
- SHA-256
- 540b204527c10f0585f12ffe42b2fd9806f6c0ae1946af038deb1c4ee9620174
- Original
- www.govinfo.gov