mr. speaker , i thank the chairman for yielding , and for his hard work on this .  also i want to start off , mr. speaker , by thanking the democrats on the committee for working so hard and diligently with us .  this is a bipartisan bill .  this is a bipartisan trade agreement .  we will see votes from a lot of democrats and a lot of republicans when this comes to a vote .  why is that ?  mr. speaker , i think this is a very important step in the right direction for our country .  this is a very important precedent-making event .  what we are accomplishing here is the first trade agreement in this region since the 9/11 commission published their findings , since we launched the middle east free trade area initiative , since 9/11 .  now , let us just say it is controversial what our country is doing in iraq .  i think it is safe to say that .  that is a part of our war on terror , has controversy .  well , what are we trying to accomplish there ?  we believe that freedom and democracy are the best ultimate tools in the war on terrorism .  we believe that our children and grandchildren will be more safe and secure here in america and around the world , if other people are free , if other people have the ability to determine their own destiny and their own futures .  what does this have to do with that ?  a trade agreement with the united states with these countries , with bahrain , in particular , helps secure that future .  by seeing the leadership of bahrain , the first country in the gulf to do this , gravitating and taking the leadership , for rule of law , transparency in its legislature , changing its government to a constitutional monarchy , having a directly representative parliament , giving women the right to vote , given women elected positions in government , giving woman elected positions in the ministry , in the cabinet level , having the rule of law , having transparency , all of those things are the necessary and key foundations and building blocks to freedom and democracy .  that is ultimately how we win against the war on terrorism .  this is the way we do it on a bipartisan basis .  this is the opportunity for republicans and democrats to go forward with one voice , one face , one message as americans going overseas , going forward confidently to win the war on terror and help encourage the spread of freedom and democracy .  that is why this is an important trade agreement .  is bahrain significant from an economic value ?  it is a small country relative to other economic trade partners .  is this trade agreement in and of itself a good deal for us ?  absolutely .  zero tariffs on manufactured goods .  zero tariffs on our agricultural goods .  fair trade rules .  this agreement improves labor standards .  the bahrainees have already shown leadership in their region in this area .  in 2000 , they passed a very sweeping labor reform law .  they have since committed to passing even more sweeping labor reform laws .  so we are already seeing tremendous progress being made .  this is a country , mr. speaker , that has really shown leadership in this region against the grain , against pressure from their neighbors across the causeway in saudi arabia and elsewhere in the gulf .  this is a country that has been our friend and ally for over 100 years , that has hosted our 5th fleet naval base from which we do all of our naval operations in the iraqi theatre , in the afghani theatre , come from bahrain , from our 5th fleet .  this is a country that has stood with the united states through thick and then in helping us stop money laundering for terrorists , in helping us with our military , in standing with us for democracy in the middle east .  it is an important ally .  it is an ally that has done a lot , that has shown leadership , that has risked a lot to stand with us for democracy and freedom , that is gravitating towards these kinds of reforms .  the vision that this trade agreement represents , mr. speaker , is a vision of spreading trade , free markets , capitalism and democracy and freedom throughout the greater middle east .  this is the road map to the future of the middle east .  and that is why it is so important .  this is a bipartisan movement .  that is why i just want to say one more time how thankful i am to the ranking member of the ways and means committee , the gentleman from new york ( mr. rangel )  for working very hard to meet this agreement , and the gentleman from maryland ( mr. cardin )  as well , for working hard to meet this agreement so that we can stand here today as republicans and democrats in favor of this very important trade agreement .  