STATEMENT OF SENATOR PATRICK LEAHY, RANKING MEMBER, SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE, ON THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION RESOLUTION EXECUTIVE BUSINESS MEETING

November 10, 1999

The World Trade Organization is holding an important ministerial conference on electronic commerce in Seattle from November 30 to December 3, 1999. The Administration has set an aggressive agenda for that conference, and I am glad to join with Senator Hatch in sending a clear message from the Senate Judiciary Committee that we support our government=s efforts in international negotiations to foster electronic commerce by protecting intellectual property rights and prohibiting stifling duties on electronic trade and commerce.

The growth of electronic commerce is having a positive effect on the economies of small rural states like mine. A Vermont Internet Commerce report I commissioned earlier this year found that Vermont gained more than 1,000 new jobs as a result of Internet commerce, with the potential to add more than 24,000 jobs over the next two years. For a small state like ours, this is very good news.

The jobs and opportunities for growth presented by electronic commerce are an important part of the economic future of this country. This resolution puts firmly on the record that this Committee urges the Administration to take strong negotiating positions to protect intellectual property rights, since this will ultimately benefit the workers in those industries dependent on intellectual property protection, and consumers.