William Roth

Mr. ROTH

Mr. ROTH. I move to reconsider the vote.

Mr. ROTH. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent we dispense with the vote on the motion to table the Landrieu amendment.

Mr. ROTH. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the previously agreed to Grassley-Conrad amendment No. 2359 be modified. Further, the modifications have been agreed to by both sides. I ask unanimous consent that the modification be adopted.

Mr. ROTH. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that we set aside the Feingold amendment.

Mr. ROTH. Mr. President, I make a point of order a quorum is not present.

Mr. ROTH. Mr. President, we are prepared to accept the modification.

Mr. ROTH. The Senator withdrew her amendment and I asked unanimous consent we dispense with the vote on the motion to table.

Mr. ROTH. I ask for a voice vote. THE PRESIDING OFFICER. If there be no further debate, the question is on agreeing to the amendment.

Mr. ROTH. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that reading of the amendment be dispensed with.

Mr. ROTH. I thank the ranking member of the committee for his cooperation and help. I think now we are about ready to proceed with the votes. A quorum is not present.

Mr. ROTH. Mr. President, the managers' amendment has been worked on by the distinguished ranking member, Senator Moynihan, and myself. We have worked with Members on both sides of the aisle. This represents the results. There is no objection from the Democrat or Republican side.

Mr. ROTH. For these reasons, I oppose the amendment.

Mr. ROTH. Mr. President, I ask consent a vote occur on or in relation to the pending amendment No. 2487, of Senator Wellstone, and No. 2347, the Specter amendment, at 3:30, with 4 minutes prior to each vote for explanation. I further ask consent it be in order for me to make a motion to table at this point on both amendments with one show of seconds.

Mr. ROTH. I could not hear the Senator.

Mr. ROTH. Mr. President, I rise in opposition to my colleague's amendment. I do so because there is no evidence that the current antidumping and countervailing duty laws have failed to deliver relief to injured industries. Indeed, it is not clear to me that shifting the burden of the initial investigation to the courts, with any allowance at all for the normal process of discovery between private litigants, would help the petitioning industry in these cases. While both petitioners and respondents complain about their treatment before the administrative agencies, largely due to what they consider to be the arbitrary basis for their decisions, both sides to the litigation seem to agree that the cases themselves are completed as rapidly as possible. They also agree that the current system provides more certainty and predictability. Given that, I urge my colleagues to think carefully about the implications of shifting these cases to the Federal courts. While the system is not perfect, the fact is that petitioners have been very successful in these cases. Moreover, the system is surprisingly quick and responsive, given the complexity of these cases. Anybody who has spent years before the Federal courts in a complex commercial matter can tell you that the current system of litigation of unfair trade cases administratively is quite rapid. For these reasons, I urge my colleagues to vote to table the amendment. No such change, as proposed by this amendment, should be adopted without thorough study on the part of the appropriate committee. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that this rollcall vote and future rollcalls in this series be limited to 10 minutes.

Mr. ROTH. Mr. President, I share that opinion. There is no question but it is appropriate for Congress to help set these objectives. I say to my distinguished colleague from North Dakota, I agree very much about the need to develop a level playing field. One of my concerns is the fact our markets are the most open markets in the world. That obviously includes agriculture. The purpose of these negotiations should be to lower them in such a way that everyone is on an even playing field. I am very sympathetic to what the Senator is proposing.

Mr. ROTH. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.

Mr. ROTH

Mr. ROTH. Mr. President, I ask the distinguished Senator from New York if he could articulate the importance of the legislation before us.

Mr. ROTH. I would like to refer to fast track. Like my colleague, I am very unhappy that this authority has not been extended this President.

Mr. ROTH. Mr. President, I thank my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for their support for the cloture motion. The vote reflects the strong bipartisan support for the bill. I also want to extend my thanks to the distinguished majority and minority leaders, who worked so hard to find the compromise that would allow the bill to move forward. Due to their hard work, we have the opportunity to send a clear statement to our neighbors in the Caribbean, Central America, and Africa that we are willing to invest in a long-term economic relationship--a relationship of partners in a common endeavor of expanding trade, enhancing economic growth, and improving living standards. Most importantly, this bill will also send a clear signal to our trading partners around the world who will join us shortly in Seattle for the ministerial meeting of the World Trade Organization. It signals that the United States is prepared to engage constructively in the wider world around us and to provide the leadership necessary to achieve our common goals. Most importantly, the bill means we will fulfill our commitment to the American workers and firms that will benefit from this bill--a commitment that means $8.8 billion in new sales and an increase of 121,000 jobs over the course of the next 5 years in the U.S. textile industry alone. As I have emphasized again and again in this debate, this is not a bill that is good just for our neighbors in the Caribbean and Central America or our partners in Africa. This is a bill that is good for our workers here at home as well. It is a ``win-win'' situation economically for American workers and our friends abroad. I look forward to working with my colleagues over these coming hours to fashion a still stronger bill that would further those goals. Let me emphasize once more the strong bipartisan support reflected in the vote just taken. The motion for cloture carried by a vote of 74-23. I urge my colleagues to move as expeditiously as we can because time is limited. As we all know, the Congress is coming to the end of the current session and we want to make sure everybody has the opportunity to bring forward their amendments. It is important we do so in a fashion to expeditiously conclude action on this important piece of legislation. I yield the floor.

Mr. ROTH. That is correct. That is correct. I also point out our committee in the last 2 years reported this legislation out because there is strong bipartisan support for fast track to be granted to the President, this President, by both Republicans and Democrats.

Mr. ROTH. Unfortunately, there has not been strong leadership from the White House on this matter. It seems to me it is a matter of grave concern. But since that has not happened, I do agree with what my colleague has just said, that it is important we act on this legislation so it becomes clear to our friends and neighbors around the world that we continue to plan to provide leadership in this most important area of trade.

Mr. ROTH

Mr. ROTH. Before or after the vote?

Mr. ROTH. I suggest the absence of a quorum.

Mr. ROTH. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.