Grassley Works for American Agriculture


Asserts Congressional Authority to Regulate Foreign Commerce


Senator Chuck Grassley has introduced a bill to give Congress an opportunity to review the terms under which China might be admitted to the World Trade Organization.

"My legislation is about making sure American agriculture is not sold-out in a political deal that lets China into the WTO before China guarantees market access and agrees to the terms spelled out in our multilateral trade rules," Grassley said. "We have just one chance to get it right with China. A WTO invitation should not be extended just for a photo-op."

China's Premier Zhu Ronghi is scheduled to visit the United States on April 8.

Grassley said S.742, the bi-partisan bill he introduced last night with Sen. Kent Conrad of North Dakota would clarify the requirements for the accession of China to the WTO. Grassley said it is based on Congress' constitutional responsibility to regulate foreign commerce. The bill would:

  • expand the requirement in current law that the U.S. Trade Representative must consultwith Congress prior to casting a vote in favor of China's admission to the WTO. Right now, the administration could comply by consulting with Congress just minutes before casting a vote in the WTO Ministerial Conference or the WTO General Council to admit China. Grassley's bill states that Congress "shall have at least 60 days to review all the relevant documents related to China's possible accession before a vote is taken."
  • specify the documents that the administration must provide to Congress for review.
  • give Congress the opportunity to vote on China's admission to the WTO before China can be admitted

. Grassley said it would be good for China to join the world trade community's official forum under the right terms. For 50 years, the WTO and GATT have eliminated literally tens of thousands of tariff and non-tariff trade barriers. "The result has been a dramatic increase in our collective prosperity and a strengthening of world peace," he said.

Earlier this month, Grassley held a hearing to, in part, examine the status of trade issues between the U.S. and China. He discussed China's failure to live up to a 1997 agreement to allow the purchase of U.S. pork and said, "real progress must be made by China on removing discriminatory licensing practices and restrictive sanitary regulations aimed at U.S. agricultural products before we can give serious consideration to China's bid to join the WTO."

Grassley is Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on International Trade and a Congressional Advisor on Trade Policy.