HCR 12 – AS INTRODUCED

2008 SESSION

08-2213

05/03

HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 12

A RESOLUTION urging the federal government to withdraw the United States from the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

SPONSORS: Rep. Winters, Hills 17; Rep. Soucy, Hills 17; Rep. Itse, Rock 9; Rep. Hinkle, Hills 19; Sen. Barnes, Dist 17

COMMITTEE: State-Federal Relations and Veterans Affairs

ANALYSIS

This resolution urges the federal government to withdraw the United States from the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

08-2213

05/03

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Eight

A RESOLUTION urging the federal government to withdraw the United States from the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

Whereas, millions of jobs have been lost by Americans due to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) since it was approved by Congress and signed by President Bill Clinton in 1993; and

Whereas, the life of freedom enjoyed by Americans is made possible by our multi-layered federal system of local, state, and national governments based on the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution; and

Whereas, Henry A. Kissinger wrote in the Los Angeles Times for July 18, 1993, regarding NAFTA: “What Congress will have before it is not a conventional trade agreement but the architecture of a new international system;” and

Whereas, Robert Pastor wrote in the January/February 2004 issue of Foreign Affairs: “NAFTA was merely the first draft of an economic constitution for North America. . . . Although NAFTA fueled the train of continental integration, it did not provide conductors to guide it;” and

Whereas, President George W. Bush established the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP) of North America with the leaders of Mexico and Canada on March 23, 2005; and

Whereas, a reporter asked Prime Minister Martin, President Bush, and President Fox on March 23, 2005 whether, in light of the European Union, the SPP was a step towards continental integration and President Bush’s response included the statement that “So that the vision that you asked about in your question as to what kind of union might there be, I see one based upon free trade, that would then entail commitment to markets and democracy, transparency, rule of law;” and

Whereas, the gradual creation of such a North American union from a merger of the United States, Mexico, and Canada would be a direct threat to our freedoms under the Constitution and our nation’s independence, and imply an eventual end to national borders within North America; and

Whereas, John M. Melle, Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for North America stated before the United States Senate Committee on Finance on September 11, 2006: “The SPP builds on and complements the NAFTA;” and

Whereas, Representative Virgil Goode of Virginia introduced H. Con. Res. 22 in the House of Representatives on January 10, 2007 “Expressing the sense of Congress that the President should provide notice of withdrawal of the United States from the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA); now therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:

That the Congress of the United States, and particularly, the legislative delegation to Congress of the state of New Hampshire are hereby urged and petitioned to use all of their efforts, energies, and diligence to withdraw the United States from NAFTA, as provided by Article 2205 of that agreement, in order to help block any further participation in the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America and any other bilateral or multilateral activity however named which seeks to advance, authorize, fund, or in any way promote the creation of any structure to accomplish any form of North American union as herein described; and

That copies of this resolution be forwarded by the house clerk to the president of the United States Senate and to the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and to each member of the New Hampshire Congressional delegation.