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SJM105.....................................................by STATE AFFAIRS
TAIWAN - FREE TRADE AGREEMENT - Stating findings of the Legislature and
requesting that the President of the United States direct the United States
Trade Representative to negotiate a free trade agreement between the United
States and Taiwan.
02/21 Senate intro - 1st rdg - to printing
02/22 Rpt prt - to 10th Ord
02/28 10th Ord - ADOPTED - voice vote
Floor Sponsors - Stennett & Cameron
Title apvd - to House
03/01 House intro - 1st rdg - to St Aff
03/08 Rpt out - rec d/p - to 2nd rdg
03/09 2nd rdg - to 3rd rdg
03/14 3rd rdg - ADOPTED - 55-12-3
AYES -- Anderson, Andrus, Bedke, Bell, Bilbao, Black, Block, Boe,
Bolz, Brackett, Bradford, Chadderdon, Chavez, Chew, Clark, Collins,
Durst, Edmunson, Hagedorn, Henderson, Jaquet, Killen, King, Kren,
Lake, Loertscher, Luker, Marriott, Mathews, McGeachin, Mortimer,
Moyle, Nielsen, Nonini, Pasley-Stuart, Pence, Raybould, Ring, Ringo,
Roberts, Ruchti, Rusche, Schaefer, Shepherd(2), Shirley, Shively,
Smith(30), Snodgrass, Stevenson, Thayn, Trail, Wills, Wood(27),
Wood(35), Mr. Speaker
NAYS -- Barrett, Bayer, Bock, Eskridge, Hart, Harwood, LeFavour,
Patrick, Sayler, Shepherd(8), Smith(24), Vander Woude
Absent and excused -- Crane, Henbest, Labrador
Floor Sponsor - Raybould
Title apvd - To Senate
03/15 To enrol
03/16 Rpt enrol - Pres signed
03/19 Sp signed
03/20 To Secretary of State
]]]] LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO ]]]]
Fifty-ninth Legislature First Regular Session - 2007
IN THE SENATE
SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL NO. 105
BY STATE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
1 A JOINT MEMORIAL
2 TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, THE UNITED STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE,
3 THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES IN CONGRESS
4 ASSEMBLED, AND TO THE CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION REPRESENTING THE STATE OF
5 IDAHO IN THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES.
6 We, your Memorialists, the Senate and the House of Representatives of the
7 State of Idaho assembled in the First Regular Session of the Fifty-ninth Idaho
8 Legislature, do hereby respectfully represent that:
9 WHEREAS, the state of Idaho has a strong and vibrant economic relationship
10 with Taiwan; and
11 WHEREAS, the agricultural and manufacturing sectors of the Idaho economy,
12 most notably the computer and electronic products, chemicals and machine
13 industries, would benefit significantly if the United States entered into a
14 free trade agreement with Taiwan; and
15 WHEREAS, a free trade agreement between the United States and Taiwan would
16 substantially reduce or eliminate most import quotas, duties and other trade
17 barriers, thereby expanding market opportunities for manufactured goods and
18 agricultural products from Idaho and the entire United States; and
19 WHEREAS, the United States has completed or is in the process of negotiat-
20 ing free trade agreements with several countries and regions; and
21 WHEREAS, a free trade agreement with Taiwan is appropriate: Taiwan is
22 already the United States' eighth largest trading partner and the sixth most
23 important destination of United States agricultural exports; Taiwan's economy
24 is thriving and robust; and Taiwan maintains longstanding educational and cul-
25 tural ties with the United States; and
26 WHEREAS, Taiwan was admitted to the World Trade Organization (WTO) on Jan-
27 uary 1, 2002, and a free trade agreement between the United States and Taiwan
28 would extend the coverage of WTO agreements to products, sectors and condi-
29 tions of trade not adequately covered and it would provide a platform to
30 address issues such as Taiwan's tariff rate on agricultural imports from the
31 United States, which currently averages over fifteen percent; and
32 WHEREAS, Public Law 107-210, the Trade Act of 2002, gives the president
33 the authority to enter into trade agreements with foreign countries whenever
34 the president determines that one or more existing duties or other import
35 restrictions of any foreign country or the United States are unduly burdening
36 and restricting the foreign trade of the United States; and
37 WHEREAS, President George W. Bush, speaking before the historic signing of
38 the United States-Australia Free Trade Agreement in 2004, emphasized that he
39 supports free and open trade because "it has the power to create new wealth
40 for whole nations and new opportunities for millions of people" and "has a
41 record for creating jobs and raising living standards and lowering consumer
42 prices."
43 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the members of the First Regular Session
44 of the Fifty-ninth Idaho Legislature, the Senate and the House of Representa-
2
1 tives concurring therein, that the Idaho Legislature hereby commends the
2 Republic of China (Taiwan) for its close economic and business ties with the
3 state of Idaho and does respectfully urge and request that the President of
4 the United States extend the benefits of free trade by directing the United
5 States Trade Representative to negotiate a free trade agreement between the
6 United States and Taiwan.
7 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate be, and she is
8 hereby authorized and directed to forward a copy of this Memorial to the Pres-
9 ident of the United States, the United States Trade Representative, the Presi-
10 dent of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Congress,
11 and the congressional delegation representing the State of Idaho in the Con-
12 gress of the United States.
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
RS 16759
The purpose of this Joint memorial is to request the President
of the United States to extend the benefits of free trade by
directing the United States Trade Representative to negotiate a
free trade agreement between the United States and Taiwan. As a
member of the world Trade Organization, Taiwan is the 8th largest
trading partner with the U.S. and eliminating tariffs on trade
would significantly benefit our state economy as well as the
nation.
FISCAL NOTE
None.
Contact
Name: Senator Clint Stennett
Phone: (208) 332-1351
Senator Dean Cameron
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL NOTE SJM 105