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79R3470 CLE-D


By:  Van Arsdale                                                  H.R. No. 288



R E S O L U T I O N
	WHEREAS, Taiwan is Texas' fifth-largest foreign market, and 
the agriculture and manufacturing sectors of the Texas economy, 
most notably the computer and electronic products, chemicals, and 
machinery industries, would benefit significantly if the United 
States enacted a free trade agreement with Taiwan; and
	WHEREAS, A free trade agreement between the U.S. and Taiwan 
would substantially reduce or eliminate most import quotas, duties, 
and other trade barriers and expand market opportunities for 
manufactured goods and agricultural products from Texas and the 
entire U.S.; and
	WHEREAS, The U.S. has completed or is in the process of 
negotiating free trade agreements with several countries and 
regions; reasons for pursuing a free trade agreement with Taiwan 
include its status as the United States' eighth-largest trading 
partner, its robust economy, and its long-standing educational and 
cultural ties with the U.S.; and
	WHEREAS, Taiwan was admitted to the World Trade Organization 
(WTO) on January 1, 2001; a free trade agreement between the U.S. 
and Taiwan would extend the coverage of WTO agreements to products, 
sectors, and conditions of trade not adequately covered, and it 
would provide a platform to address issues such as Taiwan's 15.2 
percent average tariff rate on agricultural imports from the United 
States; and
	WHEREAS, Public Law 107-210, the Trade Act of 2002, gives the 
president the authority to enter into trade agreements with foreign 
countries whenever the president determines that one or more 
existing duties or other import restrictions of any foreign country 
or the United States are unduly burdening and restricting the 
foreign trade of the United States; and
	WHEREAS, President George W. Bush, speaking before the 
historic signing of the U.S.-Australia Free Trade Agreement in 
2004, emphasized that he supports free and open trade because "it 
has the power to create new wealth for whole nations and new 
opportunities for millions of people" and "has a record of creating 
jobs, raising living standards, and lowering consumer prices"; now, 
therefore, be it
	RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 79th Texas 
Legislature hereby respectfully encourage the president of the 
United States to extend the benefits of free trade by enacting a 
free trade agreement between the United States and Taiwan; and, be 
it further
	RESOLVED, That the chief clerk of the Texas House of 
Representatives forward official copies of this resolution to the 
president of the United States, to the speaker of the house of 
representatives and the president of the senate of the United 
States Congress, and to all the members of the Texas delegation to 
the congress.