mr. speaker , i yield myself 3 1/2 minutes .  mr. speaker , the argument from the other side of the aisle that this issue is somehow tied to cafta , i think , is particularly striking and particularly odd because the underlying bill that we are considering today should be on the consent calendar ; it should not be controversial with the bulk of people in this congress who care about the american economy .  mr. speaker , today the house has the opportunity to vote on a bill that will take the largest step toward strengthening our trade remedy laws in over 15 years .  this bill is a comprehensive approach towards eliminating many of the inequities that exist in our trading relationships , particularly our bilateral u.s.-china trade relationship .  it holds china and others accountable and creates tough mechanisms to ensure compliance with trade agreements and provides tools for us to gain compliance should our trading partners , particularly china , fail to do so .  voting for this bill today will send a strong signal to beijing that congress will not sit idly by while china 's mercantilist trade policy injures u.s. employers and costs us jobs .  voting for this bill today will send a strong signal to china and every country that this congress will do what it takes to ensure that our trading partners fully abide by the rules and are not rewarded with unfettered access to our market when they are not prepared to make the tough choices to follow the international rules .  it is clear that voting against this bill will send a very dangerous signal that this congress is willing to turn a blind eye to chinese complacency and we continue with the status quo of unfairness to our producers .  mr. speaker , this bill is a strong , responsible , and comprehensive initiative that would close an existing loophole that bars the use of the countervailing duty law against nonmarket economies such as china .  right now a major tool in our arsenal is unavailable in dealing with a nonmarket economy or communist countries .  it is ridiculous that when we find subsidies in france , japan , brazil , or taiwan , we can use countervailing duties to strip the benefits of those subsidies , but we can not do so if we find the same subsidies in china or vietnam .  this bill would establish a strong and external system to audit china 's compliance with trade obligations on intellectual property rights , market access , and transparency ; and it would place congress strongly on the record as opposing attempts to use the wto to water down domestic trade law protections .  it would require the treasury department to define currency manipulation and clarify legal protections against china and other countries that manipulate their currency .  it would increase funding for the united states trade representative to create more trade cops to improve enforcement of existing trade laws .  by replacing current bonds that are used by new shippers in antidumping cases with cash deposits , we are dealing with one of the biggest loopholes .  finally , it would authorize funding for the international trade commission .  mr. speaker , passage of this legislation is essential for the economic future of the next generation , for the future of good-paying jobs in places like northwestern pennsylvania where we make things for a living .  we need this legislation passed by a congress willing to come together , to put aside its political differences , and certainly not vote down this legislation merely for political positioning on another trade agreement .  mr. speaker , i urge passage of this key legislation .  this is the top trade vote of this year , and everyone will be counted on it .  mr. speaker , i reserve the balance of my time .  