"This superb agreement
can result in close to 2 billion dollars in new US manufactured goods
exports…making this the most front-loaded FTA ever."
-- Jerry
Jasinowski, NAM President
"The US-Australia free
trade agreement will significantly further economic growth in America. Tariffs
will be eliminated for more than 99% of US products…this will mean increased
output and new jobs in our nation."
--John J. Castellani, BRT
President
"When passed by Congress,
this agreement will immediately eliminate tariffs on 99.5% of all trade between
the two countries. This is the most significant reduction of industrial tariffs
ever achieved in a US free trade agreement…American workers will benefit most
from this deal, especially manufacturing jobs."
--Anne Wexler, AAFTAC
Chair
"By eliminating tariffs
on US manufactured goods a free trade agreement between Australia and the United
States enhances Caterpillar's competitiveness and strengthens the company's
ability to serve Australian dealers and customers. In addition to US
manufacturers, other big FTA winners will be consumers in both countries who
will gain duty-free access to a wide range of products."
--Bill Lane,
Caterpillar, Inc.
"The MPAA applauds
Ambassador Zoellick…for concluding a Free Trade Agreement containing state of
the art copyright rules that will help US and Australian creators alike protect
their intellectual property…(its) a first-rate Agreement that provides full
protection for the American films and TV programs."
--Motion Picture
Association of America
"This agreement will
further solidify our economic ties, and provide our businesses and farmers with
greater access to an important market. Lower tariffs and greater market
opportunities will result in more US jobs, especially in the manufacturing
sector. This momentous agreement is clearly a win-win for both
nations."
--Congresswoman Jennifer Dunn
"On balance, this is a
good agreement that will provide benefits to our manufacturing, services and
technology sectors."
--Congressman Cal Dooley
"NPPC consistently
supports free trade agreements such as this one…(and) continues to support
bilateral and regional agreements because increased market access will help the
bottom line of all US pork producers."
--NPPC President Jon
Caspers
"USTR followed our
recommendation to retain over-quota duty rates."
--Dairy Trade
Coalition
"The agreement
contemplates more comprehensive and more modern protections and improved
enforcement measures for Australia, which will be good for the copyright
industries, for jobs, and ultimately for consumers, in both countries.
Ambassador Zoellick and his team deserve praise for insisting on setting
world-class standards in this agreement for copyright protection and
enforcement."
--IIPA President Eric H. Smith
"The Coalition of Service
Industries (CSI) today expressed approval of the measures contained in the
US-Australia Free Trade Agreement (FTA) to lock in US access to a diverse range
of Australian service markets."
--Coalition of Service
Industries
"The free trade agreement
facilitates narrowing the discrepancies of Australian and American consumer
credit delivery systems…(and) will contribute tremendously to our
economy."
--Randy Lively, AFSA President and CEO
"I'm pleased that we were
able to conclude a trade agreement with Australia. Australia is an important
ally, and we need to do all we can to ensure a healthy and vibrant trading
relationship. However, I'm also disappointed by several aspects of the
agreement."
--Senator Chuck Grassley
"Our best hopes were not
realized through the negotiations, but neither were our worst
fears."
--NMPF President Jerry Kozak
"We are very disappointed
that the US-Australia FTA did not address the inequities inherent in the AWB
monopoly."
--US Wheat Associates
"While certainly not a
"win" for U.S. beef producers, USTR Chief Agricultural Negotiator Al Johnson and
his team did a solid job of negotiating an agreement that includes permanent
tools designed to deal with potential market disruptions between the world's two
largest beef trading nations."
--The National Cattlemen's Beef
Association (NCBA)
"This is an important
milestone for trade between developed nations…the immediate cut in industrial
tariffs is unmatched in any FTA, opening up major new trading opportunities for
both the United States and Australia."
--Bill Reinsch, NFTC
President
"(T)he Agreement provides
an important framework for further growth and integration of the American and
Australian markets."
--Frances Cassidy, American Australian Association
President
"The Agreement will
provide massive opportunities for Australian companies of all sizes to gain
access to the world's largest market"
--Hugh Morgan, Business Council of
Australia President
"The agreement is a
victory for U.S. distilled spirits exporters and Australian consumers"
--Debbie Lamb, Senior VP, Trade, Distilled Spirits
Council
"This is an important
free trade agreement that will help stimulate economic growth and job creation
in the U.S. equipment manufacturing sector… It is truly representative of the
'free and fair trade' ideal sought by AEM."
--Dennis Slater, AEM
President
"We very much welcome
free trade agreements such as this that serve to expand the benefits of trade
liberalization to all parties…Australia is a good friend to the U.S. and a
significant trading partner."
--Malcolm O'Hagan, NEMA
President
"U.S. soda ash production
employs 20,000 workers directly and indirectly, and immediately eliminating
Australia's duty on U.S. soda ash will result in millions of dollars in
increased U.S. exports to the growing Australian market annually."
--John
Andrews, ANSAC President
"The Entertainment
Industry Coalition for Free Trade (EIC), a group of leading entertainment
companies, trade associations and entertainment unions and guilds, today
applauded the conclusion of the U.S. - Australia Free Trade Agreement
(FTA)."
--Entertainment Industry Coalition for Free Trade (EIC)
"This agreement provides
a model for intellectual property protection and enforcement that should be
embraced worldwide and clearly demonstrates that promoting both cultural
expression and open trade can be achieved in a trade
agreement."
--Robert M. Kimmitt, Executive Vice President, Global Public Policy, Time
Warner Inc.
"This new trade agreement
is another important milestone in the efforts of Representative Zoellick and his
team at USTR to improve protection of the intellectual property rights of
composers, performers and sound recording producers."
--Mitch Bainwol,
Chairman and CEO, Recording Industry Association of America
(RIAA)
"AFMA is pleased to join
EIC in applauding Robert Zoellick and USTR for ensuring that strong intellectual
property provisions are included in the Australian Free Trade
Agreement,"
--Jean Prewitt, President and CEO, AFMA
"This agreement is an
important and promising one for the entertainment software industry,
particularly given the position of Australia as a major market."
--Douglas Lowenstein, President,
Entertainment Software
Association (ESA)