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Congressional Record—Senate S3338 S3338 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE March 18, 2009 That is something our U.S. trade am- while, and no administration has done at this. We can prevail. We don’t have bassador has to confront. much about it. Oh, the last administra- to have an $800 billion deficit that Let me give an example—and this is tion, I think the last time they took threatens our country’s economy. No just one; I could give a dozen—of part action was against Europe, and they one talks about it much, but the fact of our problem. We have a trade deficit announced with big fanfare that they is, this enormous deficit undermines with South Korea. Ninety-eight per- were going to impose tariffs on Roque- the strength of the American economy. cent of the cars on the streets of South fort cheese, truffles, and goose liver. It sucks jobs out of our country and Korea are made in South Korea be- That will scare the devil out of some moves them overseas in search of cheap cause that is what they want. They do country—Roquefort cheese, truffles, labor. We can do better than that. not want foreign cars in South Korea. and goose liver. We not only negotiate I intend to support Ron Kirk. I think Our country signed two separate trade bad trade agreements, but then we fail he will be a good choice. However, I deals with Korea in the 1990s, which to enforce them. And when we do en- hope this trade ambassador under- supposedly meant that Korea would force them, we don’t enforce them with stands that while our country stands open up their auto market. Those any vigor. for trade and our country stands for agreements are apparently not worth Mr. President, I know there has been open markets, we ought to, for a the paper they were written on. So discussion in the last couple of days change, also stand for fair trade agree- Korea sent us 770,000 vehicles last about trade with Mexico. Mexico had a ments and we ought to stand for bal- year—770,000 Korean-made vehicles. $66 billion surplus—or we a deficit with ance in trade and get rid of an $800 bil- Those are Korean jobs—vehicles made them—last year. We have had a nearly lion-a-year deficit in which we end up in Korea, sold in the United States. Yet 1⁄2 trillion dollar trade deficit with owing other countries a substantial we are able to sell 6,000 American vehi- Mexico in the last 10 years alone, and amount of our future. It makes no cles in Korea. Now, think of that: Mexico is accusing us of unfair trade? I sense to me. 770,000 cars coming our way, and we get am sorry. We have a 1⁄2 trillion dollar So I am for trade, and plenty of it, to sell 6,000 there. Why? Because the deficit with Mexico in trade relation- but let’s try to get it right for a Korean Government doesn’t want ship in 10 years, and they believe we change, to strengthen this country and American cars on their roads. They are unfair? put this country on the right track. want one-way trade, which I think re- The recent action by Mexico against Mr. President, I yield the floor, and I sults in unfairness to our country, lack the United States is due to the fact suggest the absence of a quorum. of jobs in our country, and a growing that a large bipartisan majority of The PRESIDING OFFICER. The trade deficit in our country that under- both Chambers of Congress objected to clerk will call the roll. mines our economy. a Mexican long-haul trucking pilot The legislative clerk proceeded to The same is true with respect to program that the Bush Administration call the roll. China. For example, we negotiated a wanted to establish. The inspector gen- Mr. COBURN. Mr. President, I ask bilateral trade agreement with China. eral of the Transportation Department unanimous consent that the order for Only much later did we learn the ingre- had said that in Mexico there is no cen- the quorum call be rescinded. dients of that agreement. China is now tral repository of drivers’ records, no The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without creating a significant automobile ex- central repository of accident reports, objection, it is so ordered. port industry, and we will begin seeing and no central repository of vehicle in- Mr. COBURN. Mr. President, I ask Chinese cars on American streets in spections. We don’t have an equivalent unanimous consent to yield back all the not too distant future. They are system. Well, there is nothing in a time on the Kirk nomination. gearing up for a very robust auto- trade agreement that requires us to di- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without mobile export industry. Here is what minish safety on our roads. When we objection, it is so ordered. our country agreed with in a bilateral have equivalent systems or when we Mr. COBURN. Mr. President, I ask agreement with China. We agreed that have conditions in both countries that unanimous consent that H.R. 146 be the any American cars sold in China after are equivalent, you will hear no com- pending business. a phase-in could have a 25-percent tar- plaint from me about any pilot pro- iff imposed by the Chinese. Any Chi- gram of this type, but that is not the f nese cars sold in America would have a case today. LEGISLATIVE SESSION 21⁄2-percent tariff. Think of the absurd- Just as an aside, at a hearing I held ity of that. A country with which we last year, we were told that one of the have a $200 billion trade deficit—last rules for the cross-border trucking pro- year, $260 billion—and we said: It is gram was that the drivers who were REVOLUTIONARY WAR AND WAR okay for you to impose a tariff that is coming in with the big trucks were OF 1812 BATTLEFIELD PROTEC- 10 times higher on U.S.-made auto- going to be required to be fluent in TION ACT mobiles sold in your country than we English. One way they would deter- The PRESIDING OFFICER. Under will impose on your automobiles sold mine whether they were fluent in the previous order, the Senate will re- in our country. That is the kind of ig- English is they would hold up a high- sume consideration of H.R. 146, which norance, in my judgment, and unfair way sign, such as a stop sign, to the the clerk will report by title. trade provisions that result in our hav- driver and ask him: What is this sign? The legislative clerk read as follows: ing an $800 billion merchandise trade And if the driver replied, ‘‘Alto,’’ which A bill (H.R. 146) to establish a battlefield deficit. means ‘‘stop’’ in Spanish, they would acquisition grant program for the acquisi- Now, Warren Buffett has said—and declare that driver fluent in English. tion and protection of nationally significant Warren Buffett is a bright guy, and I Look, this made no sense at all. Let’s battlefields and associated sites of the Revo- like him, I have known him for a long make sure we protect the safety on lutionary War and the War of 1812, and for while—this is unsustainable. You can’t America’s roads. I have no problem other purposes. run these kinds of trade deficits year with cross-border trucking as soon as The Senate resumed consideration of after year. It is unsustainable. Why? we have equivalent standards. That is the bill. Because when we buy $800 billion more not now the case. Pending: from other countries than we sell to But my larger point with Mexico, as Bingaman amendment No. 684, in the na- them, it means they end up with our with other countries, is that we have a ture of a substitute; money or a debt, and that debt will be large and growing trade deficit—$66 bil- Coburn amendment No. 680 to amendment repaid with a lower standard of living lion last year with Mexico; 1⁄2 trillion No. 684, to ensure that the general public has in our country. dollars in 10 years. This country can’t full access to our national parks and to pro- My point is that the financial crisis continue that. We have to have fair mote the health and safety of all visitors and employees of the National Park Service; in this country is caused by a lot of trade with other countries and fair Coburn amendment No. 679 to amendment things, at least one of which is an un- trade agreements. And when we do, it No. 684, to provide for the future energy believable growing trade deficit that seems to me we should be aggressive in needs of the United States and eliminate re- has gone on and festered for a long trying to sell worldwide. We are good strictions on the development of renewable VerDate Nov 24 2008 01:14 Mar 19, 2009 Jkt 079060 PO 00000 Frm 00016 Fmt 0624 Sfmt 0634 E:\CR\FM\G18MR6.018 S18MRPT1 jbell on PROD1PC69 with SENATE March 18, 2009 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S3339 energy; would create engineering and construction payers. And tomorrow I will be in New Orle- and Coburn amendment No. 675 to amend- jobs. ans for a lease sale covering approximately ment No.
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