S.R. 1 Enrolled

SENATE RESOLUTION DISCOURAGING
PARTICIPATION IN FREE TRADE AREA OF
THE AMERICAS
2005 GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Sponsor: David L. Thomas
Ron Allen
D. Chris Buttars
Allen M. Christensen
Gene Davis
Mike Dmitrich
Dan R. EastmanBeverly Ann Evans
Fred J. Fife
Karen Hale
Thomas V. Hatch
Parley G. HellewellJohn W. Hickman
Paula F. Julander
Peter C. Knudson
Mark B. Madsen
Ed Mayne
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This resolution of the Senate urges the United States Congress to oppose entering into a
Free Trade Area of the Americas.
Highlighted Provisions:
This resolution:
. urges the United States Congress to oppose any agreement for the United States to
enter into a Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA); and
. urges that the United States not enter into the FTAA until the nation has had more
experience and greater understanding of the North American Free Trade Agreement
and the World Trade Organization.
Special Clauses:
None

Be it resolved by the Senate of the state of Utah:
WHEREAS, the United States of America has always been the world leader in pushing
for free trade, which is a hallmark of our capitalistic society;

WHEREAS, free trade only thrives where there is a level playing field of government
regulations between trading partners;
WHEREAS, the 1993 North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was supposed to
bring additional prosperity to the United States and level the playing field with Canada and
Mexico, thus perpetuating free trade between our nations;
WHEREAS, notwithstanding the good intentions of NAFTA, our nation has suffered the
loss of almost 900,000 jobs due to NAFTA, many of them coming in the manufacturing sector;
WHEREAS, manufacturing jobs in the United States have plunged from 19.3 million in
1980 to only about 14.6 million today, in large part because of these types of trade issues;
WHEREAS, the United States has gone from a trade surplus with Mexico prior to
NAFTA to a substantial trade deficit;
WHEREAS, the United States is a current member of the World Trade Organization
(WTO), which has been called "The United Nations of World Trade";
WHEREAS, the United States consistently bows to the wishes of the WTO, only proving
the words of Texas Congressman Ron Paul to be prophetic: "The most important reason why we
should get out [of the WTO] is to maintain our nation's sovereignty. We should never deliver to
any international governing body the authority to dictate what our laws should be. And this is
precisely the kind of power that has been given to the WTO";
WHEREAS, both the WTO and NAFTA, through the use of trade tribunals, now claim
the sovereign authority to overrule decisions of American courts and make awards to foreign
businesses for violations of trade agreements;
WHEREAS, Abner Mikva, a former chief judge on the federal appellate bench and a
former congressman, has stated: "If Congress had known there was anything like this in NAFTA,
they never would have voted for it";
WHEREAS, the United States is considering entering into a new 34-member Free Trade
Area of the Americas (FTAA) in 2005; and
WHEREAS, based upon the experience that the United States has had with NAFTA and
the WTO, United States membership in the planned FTAA would increase manufacturing flight

in the state of Utah and throughout the United States:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the state of Utah
respectfully but firmly urges all members of the United States Congress to vote no on any
agreement for the United States to enter into a Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) at this
time.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Senate of the state of Utah urges the United
States Congress to not enter into the FTAA until the United States has had more experience and
greater understanding of the impacts of NAFTA and the World Trade Organization (WTO).
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the Majority
Leader of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives,
the members of Utah's congressional delegation, the World Trade Organization (WTO), and the
Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA).