2007 Legislation
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SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL NO. 105 – U.S./Taiwan, free trade agreement

SENATE JOINT MEMORIAL NO. 105

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Bill Status



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

Bill Text


                                                                        
                                                                        
  ]]]]              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 / Fiscal Impact



                       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