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The topic of today’s hearing-issues affecting United States competitiveness in a global economy-is a most timely one. Consider that the Clinton Administration has recently requested an extension of fast-track negotiating authority to complete the Uruguay Round of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), and that the United States is also involved in negotiations with our North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFf A) partners to develop supplemental environmental and labor agreements. We are also confronted with growing trade imbalances with a number of our trading partners that point to serious flaws in the manner in which we, the United States, are doing business in international markets.
My testimony today will focus on the inter-relationship between United States economic and environmental interests, particularly in the trade arena. While my comments focus on the inter-play between economic and environmental policies and United States competitiveness, many of the concerns raised in this context are indicative of broader concerns that exist with regard to the general competitiveness of the United States internationally. I will discuss, in turn, GATI and the text now being negotiated in the Uruguay Round, NAFf A and the supplemental environmental agreement, and finally the development of the United States environmental technology (envirotech) industry.