To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled:
We, your memorialists, the Seventy-first Legislative Assembly of the State of Oregon, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent as follows:
Whereas, within the United States federal system, the states are the units of government closest to and most representative of the people of the United States; and
Whereas, the elected officials of the states are able to understand the needs and problems of their constituents and to develop laws and regulations that fit local circumstances within their states and regions; and
Whereas, said trade agreements appear to conflict with and could invalidate already existing as well as future state laws relating to economic development in urban and rural communities, agriculture and food safety, taxation, land use control, natural resource conservation, access to courts, labor and human rights, business licenses, competition policy, and consumer protection; and
Whereas, foreign corporations and foreign investors are already using provisions in these agreements to challenge existing laws in several states; and
Whereas, under current State Point of Contact procedures of the United States Trade Representative, members of state legislatures are not directly involved in formulating or overseeing provisions in trade agreements which impact their lawmaking authority; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Legislative Assembly of the State of Oregon:
That the leaders of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives are respectfully urged to empower select committees in each chamber to study proposed and recently approved international trade agreements to determine the extent to which provisions in these agreements may conflict with traditional state sovereignty; and
That these select committees be directed to hold hearings throughout the United States to discuss their findings with, and take testimony from, local and state elected officials and citizens, and to determine the impact of these agreements on local communities and local government; and be it further
Resolved, That a copy of this memorial shall be sent to the Senate Majority Leader, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and to each member of the Oregon Congressional Delegation.
