Fast-Track May Be Clinton's Next Move

December 7, 1999

President Clinton may ask Congress for fast-track authority to negotiate trade agreements when he gives the State of the Union address. An oblique comment Monday by White House Press Secretary Joe Lockhart indicated fast-track could be one issue with which Clinton will deal when he addresses Congress and the nation in the wake of the meetings last week in Seattle.

Asked if Clinton will request fast-track authority from Congress next year, Lockhart replied, "I'm going to save potential State of the Union items for at least another couple weeks." Trade negotiations need renewed impetus U.S. officials lick their wounds from Seattle. Fast-track authority may be one way for the administration to regain momentum.

Lockhart said Clinton did not personally pull the plug on the Seattle ministerial meetings, "but a decision was made that it (the opening session) wasn't productive to move forward. And that was the recommendation from our team and that's what happened."

American Farm Bureau President Dean Kleckner says he believes further negotiations on agriculture could begin in January in Geneva. "We're going to be pushing our government to get those negotiations up and running in agriculture," he said.

Lockhart said "there were a number of things, particularly within agriculture," accomplished in Seattle. When talks resume on agriculture, those initial agreements made in Seattle should spur continued negotiations.

In comments at variance with most other farm groups, American Corn Growers Association President Keith Dittrich said the Seattle discussions were "really an attempt to dismantle farm programs here and around the world." Agricultural proposals to reduce tariffs, reduce producer support programs and eliminate export subsidies "in no way would have been a good agreement for American agriculture. (It) did not address the rights of every nation to develop their own national farm policy. It did not take into account the differences in monetary, environmental and social policies and standards of living of our trading partners."