March 19,2001

Grassley Releases Witness List for Jordan Trade Hearing


Hearing: “The United States-Jordan Free Trade Agreement”

Date/time: Tuesday, March 20, 2001, at 2:30 p.m.

Location: 215 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Description: Last year, to recognize Jordan’s vital role in efforts to achieve a lasting peace in theMiddle East, and to acknowledge the strong and effective partnership between ourtwo nations, the Clinton Administration entered into and concluded negotiations ona free trade agreement between the United States and Jordan. This special agreementwas negotiated in the context of Jordan’s unique position in a critically important partof the world. Many in Congress viewed the United States-Jordan negotiations, andthe resulting agreement, in light of this context, and not as a model for future tradeagreements. Following the announcement of the agreement, there has beenconsiderable discussion about labor and environmental provisions that were includedin the accord. Sen. Chuck Grassley, chairman of the Committee on Finance, willconvene a hearing to examine the United States-Jordan free trade agreement, and willconsider the nature of these provisions, and their potential consequences for thefuture development of American trade policy.

Witness List
A Panel Consisting of:

The Honorable Charlene Barshefsky, Former United States Trade Representative, Washington, D.C.

The Honorable Samuel R. “Sandy” Berger, Former National Security Advisor, Washington, D.C.

The Honorable Michael B. Smith, Former Deputy United States Trade Representative, Washington,D.C.

Timothy E. Deal, Senior Vice President, The United States Council for International Business,Washington, D.C.

A Panel Consisting of:
Jagdish Bhagwati, Arthur Lehman Professor of Economics and Professor of Political Science,Columbia University, and Andrew Meyer Senior Fellow in International Economics at the Councilof Foreign Relations, New York, N.Y.

Thomas J. Donohue, President and Chief Executive Officer, U.S. Chamber of Commerce,Washington, D.C.

Rodger Schlickeisen, President, Defenders of Wildlife, Washington, D.C.

John J. Sweeney, President, AFL-CIO, Washington, D.C.