1998-09-25 Statement By The President on Fast Track Legislation (fwd)

[Robert Weissman <rob@essential.org>]

                            THE WHITE HOUSE

                     Office of the Press Secretary
                        (Aboard Air Force One)
________________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release                                 September 25, 1998


                        STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT


     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.

                                -30-30-30-