Hearing on “The Impact of Trade with China on New York State
and Opportunities for Economic Growth”
Opening Statement of Chairman Carolyn Bartholomew
July 23, 2009
Rochester, NY
Thank you Dr. Destler for your kind remarks. On behalf of the Commissioners and the staff of the US-China Commission, I would like to thank you for hosting our hearing at your magnificent facility.
Good Morning everybody, and welcome to today’s hearing on “The Impact of Trade with China on New York State and Opportunities for Economic Growth.”
My name is Carolyn Bartholomew, the Chairman of the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission for the 2009 reporting year. Today’s hearing will be co-chaired by Commissioners Patrick Mulloy and Dennis Shea. We are a bi-partisan Congressional Commission composed of 12 members, six of whom are selected by the Majority and Minority Leaders of the Senate, and six from the Speaker and the Minority Leader of the House. Commissioners serve two-year terms.
Congress has given our Commission the responsibility to monitor and investigate the national security implications of bilateral trade and economic relations between the United States and China. We fulfill our mandate by conducting hearings and undertaking related research as well as sponsoring independent research. We also travel to Asia and receive briefings from other U.S. government agencies and departments. We produce an Annual Report and provide recommendations to Congress for legislative and policy change.
This is the seventh hearing for the 2009 reporting year, a year in which we have already seen dramatic developments in the US-China trade relationship. Earlier in the year, we had a hearing on China’s industrial policy, which supports and nurtures its domestic strategic industries. Today’s hearing is on the impact of trade with China on upstate New York and the opportunities for economic growth in the region. Upstate New York has a great industrial base, and we are looking forward to hearing from our panelists about it.
Before we proceed with the hearing, we would like to thank Michelle Seger, Associate Director, for her outstanding service and assistance in making all the set up and notification arrangements for the hearing; James Bober, Lead Engineer, and Neil Kromer and the engineering staff for their A/V assistance in setting up the hearing room; Will Dube for his outstanding support and assistance; and Janice M. Emerson, General Manager, RIT Inn and Conference Center, Rita Farsace and Jennifer Harewood for their personal support and assistance in arranging for the lodging and transportation to and from the airport and hearing. Your staff was wonderful to work with and have contributed immensely to the success of this important hearing. We can’t thank you and your staff enough, and we want you to know how very much we appreciated the personal services and assistance provided to the Commission members and its staff.
I would like to welcome our panelists, and kindly ask that each speak for no more than seven minutes. This will allow the maximum amount of time for questions and answers. We will be breaking at noon, for lunch, and we will be resuming at 1:00 pm. Also, there will be a public comment period from 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm, and there is a sign-up sheet at the press materials table.
With that, let me introduce Commissioner Shea, who is one of the co-chairman of the hearing.