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From: catharin dalpino <catharindalpino@earthlink.net>
Date: Jul 2, 2006 8:39 PM
Subject: [Vsg] Senate Hearings on PNTR
Dear All,
On July 12 the Senate Finance Committee will hold hearings on granting
Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) to Vietnam. As you know, PNTR is
essential in order for the United States and Vietnam to enjoy the trade
benefits that will be available when Vietnam accedes to the World Trade
Organization. The US and Vietnam signed a bilateral WTO agreement on May
31. If Vietnam completes its final multilateral WTO rounds this July (all
bilaterals have been concluded), it will be calendared for admission to the
WTO in mid-October. The lack of PNTR for Vietnam will not prevent Hanoi
from joining the WTO; in that case, however, Vietnam and the United States
would have to file non-application notices, which would remain in effect
until PNTR is granted.
This is a distinct possibility if Congress does not pass PNTR for Vietnam
this month, before the August recess. When Congress reconvenes in
September it will be in a heavy campaign mode, and in a lame duck session
after the elections in November. This timing is complicated (and
intensified) by the fact that President Bush will travel to Vietnam in
mid-November for the APEC Summit. The administration clearly feels that
his Vietnam trip will be hampered if PNTR is not in hand by then.
Legislation to grant PNTR to Vietnam has been introduced in both the Senate
and the House. At the present time, the Senate is moving a little faster
than the House - given the fact that trade legislation is always difficult
politically, especially in an election year, that isn't surprising.
Congress is also considering FTA's for Oman and Peru this summer. PNTR for
Vietnam is a very separate issue and process, but trade issues are often
entangled with one another in the political and legislative process.
However, PNTR advocates are hopeful that a strong push this month can help
get the bill through before Congress adjourns for the August recess.
Hearings are important in this process. The Senate Finance Committee has
not yet announced the witnesses for the PNTR hearing. Nevertheless, a
hearing is also a call for public comment on the issue, and interested
organizations and individuals may submit statements for the record that
will be included in the official hearing documents. Congressional members
and staff have expressed interest in how economic reform to date has
affected Vietnam, and how WTO might have an impact on the Vietnamese formal
system, as well as on Vietnamese society, and statements on these topics
would be of particular interest.
For VSGers who would like to submit statements for the hearing, I'm pasting
guidance from the Senate Finance Committee below:
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Statements for the Record: Any individual or organization wanting to
present their views for inclusion in the hearing record should submit a
typewritten, single-spaced statement, not exceeding 10 pages in length.
Title and date of the hearing, and the full name and address of the
individual or organization must appear on the first page of the statement.
Statements must be received no later than two weeks following the
conclusion of the hearing.
Statements should be mailed ( not faxed) to:
Senate Committee on Finance
Attn. Editorial and Document Section
Rm. SD-203
Dirksen Senate Office Bldg.
Washington, DC 20510-6200
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Although statements will be received for the record until two weeks after
the hearing (July 12), given the timing outlined above, those received as
soon as possible will have greater impact. In addition to statements,
letters and petitions to the Senate Finance Chair, Senator Chuck Grassley,
as well as the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, Congressman
Bill Thomas, are also useful. It would be helpful as well to send copies
of hearing statements, letters or petitions to Secretary of State
Condoleeza Rice and US Trade Representative Susan Schwab, since one factor
that will influence PNTR's course in the legislative process is the degree
to which the administration presses Congress for action.
Additional information on the PNTR issue can be found on the website of the
Vietnam WTO Coalition at http://www.usvtc.org/coalition.asp. If that
address doesn't work, the website can be accessed on the front page of the
website for the US-ASEAN Business Council at http://www.us-asean.org.
This is an opportunity for those with deep knowledge of Vietnam's
political, economic and social processes to contribute their analysis and
perspective on a key issue in US-Vietnam relations, and I hope VSGers who
are so inclined will take advantage of this call for public comment.
Best,
Catharin
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