H.R. 9

1

HOUSE RESOLUTION DISCOURAGING
2 PARTICIPATION IN FREE TRADE AREAS
3 OF THE AMERICAS
4 2005 GENERAL SESSION
5 STATE OF UTAH
6 Sponsor: Glenn A. Donnelson
7 J. Stuart Adams
8 Sheryl L. Allen
9 Ron Bigelow
10 Duane E. Bourdeaux
11 DeMar Bud Bowman
12 Craig W. Buttars
13 Stephen D. Clark
14 Tim M. Cosgrove
15 David N. Cox
16 Bradley M. Daw
17 Brad L. DeeCarl W. Duckworth
James A. Dunnigan
Craig A. Frank
Brent H. Goodfellow
James R. Gowans
Neil A. Hansen
Neal B. Hendrickson
Gregory H. Hughes
Fred R. Hunsaker
Eric K. HutchingsBrad King
John G. Mathis
Michael T. Morley
Carol Spackman Moss
Curtis Oda
Patrick Painter
LaWanna Lou Shurtliff
Peggy Wallace
Mark A. Wheatley
Larry B. Wiley 18
19 LONG TITLE
20 General Description:
21 This resolution of the House of Representatives urges the United States Congress to
22 oppose entering into a Free Trade Area of the Americas.
23 Highlighted Provisions:
24 This resolution:
25 . urges the United States Congress to oppose any agreement for the United States to
26 enter into a Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA); and
27 . urges that the United States not enter into the FTAA until the nation has had more
28 experience with and a greater understanding of the North American Free Trade
29 Agreement and the World Trade Organization.

30 Special Clauses:

31 None
32
33 Be it resolved by the House of Representatives of the state of Utah:
34 WHEREAS, the United States of America has always been the world leader in pushing
35 for free trade, which is a hallmark of our capitalistic society;
36 WHEREAS, free trade only thrives where there is a level playing field of government
37 regulations between trading partners;
38 WHEREAS, the 1993 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was supposed
39 to bring additional prosperity to the United States and level the playing field with Canada and
40 Mexico, thus perpetuating free trade between our nations;
41 WHEREAS, notwithstanding the good intentions of NAFTA, our nation has suffered
42 the loss of almost 900,000 jobs due to NAFTA, many of them coming in the manufacturing
43 sector;
44 WHEREAS, manufacturing jobs in the United States have plunged from 19.3 million in
45 1980 to only about 14.6 million today, in large part because of these types of trade issues;
46 WHEREAS, the United States has gone from a trade surplus with Mexico prior to
47 NAFTA to a substantial trade deficit;
48 WHEREAS, the United States is a current member of the World Trade Organization
49 (WTO), which has been called "The United Nations of World Trade";
50 WHEREAS, the United States consistently bows to the wishes of the WTO, only
51 proving the words of Texas Congressman Ron Paul to be prophetic: "The most important
52 reason why we should get out [of the WTO] is to maintain our nation's sovereignty. We should
53 never deliver to any international governing body the authority to dictate what our laws should
54 be. And this is precisely the kind of power that has been given to the WTO.";
55 WHEREAS, both the WTO and NAFTA, through the use of trade tribunals, now claim
56 the sovereign authority to overrule decisions of American courts and make awards to foreign
57 businesses for violations of trade agreements;
58 WHEREAS, Abner Mikva, a former chief judge on the federal appellate bench and a
59 former congressman, has stated: "If Congress had known there was anything like this in
60 NAFTA, they never would have voted for it.";
61 WHEREAS, the United States is considering entering into a new 34-member Free

62 Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) in 2005; and
63 WHEREAS, based upon the experience that the United States has had with NAFTA
64 and the WTO, United States membership in the planned FTAA would increase manufacturing
65 flight in the state of Utah and throughout the United States:
66 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the
67 state of Utah respectfully but firmly urges all members of the United States Congress to vote no
68 on any agreement for the United States to enter into a Free Trade Area of the Americas
69 (FTAA).
70 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the state of Utah
71 urges the United States Congress to not enter into the FTAA until the United States has had
72 more experience with and a greater understanding of the impacts of NAFTA and the World
73 Trade Organization (WTO).
74 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the Majority
75 Leader of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives,
76 the members of Utah's congressional delegation, the World Trade Organization (WTO), and
77 the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA).





Legislative Review Note
as of 2-1-05 5:05 PM

Based on a limited legal review, this legislation has not been determined to have a high
probability of being held unconstitutional.

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel