,,iii  #aafth ,,congress  #b;d ,session 
,s4 ,,res4 #ejf  ,,in ,,the ,,senate    
,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states  ,february 
#bg1 #bjbj,mr4 ,murphy 7for himself and 
,mr4 ,graham7 submitted the following   
resolution2 which was referred to the   
,committee on ,finance  ,,resolution    
,expressing the sense of the ,senate    
that the ,united ,states should initiate
 negotiations to enter into a free trade
 agreement with the ,republic of        
,tunisia4  ,whereas ,tunisia has been   
developing its democratic and           
market-economy institutions since its   
democratic revolution in #bjaa2 ,whereas
 the people of the ,united ,states and  
,tunisia share core values1 such as     
respect for human rights1 democracy1 and
 the rule of law2 ,whereas the          
democratically elected ,government of   
,tunisia has committed to combat        
corruption and increase transparency and
 accountability in government           
institutions1 and should continue to    
work toward these important goals2      

,whereas the ,government of ,tunisia has
 implemented a number of economic       
reforms intended to encourage           
entrepreneurship and small business     
development1 particularly in its tax and
 regulatory regimes1 and has passed new 
laws on investment1 public-private      
partnerships1 and bankruptcy2 ,whereas  
the efforts of the ,government of       
,tunisia to reduce its budget deficit by
 tightening government spending1        
reforming domestic subsidies for fuel   
and foodstuffs1 and allowing its        
currency to devalue through more        
exchange rate flexibility have arguably 
caused economic hardships for many      
families2 ,whereas strong economic      
growth and investment would help provide
 the necessary resources to reduce      
unemployment in ,tunisia1 as well as to 
further strengthen democratic           
institutions and solidify public support
 for democratic governance2 ,whereas a  
vibrant1 stable1 and prosperous         
democracy in the ,middle ,east and      

,north ,africa is in the interest of the
 ,united ,states2 ,whereas the political
 evolution of ,tunisia stands as an     
inspiration for citizens of other states
 aspiring to establish the institutions 
of democracy after a history of         
autocratic rule2 ,whereas ,tunisia      
continues to face serious threats to its
 security from violent extremist groups 
operating within the country as well as 
in neighboring countries2 ,whereas1 in  
,july #bjae1 the ,united ,states        
designated ,tunisia as a major          
non-,,nato ally2 ,whereas the           
,government of ,tunisia has committed a 
significant portion of its budget to    
defense and interior ministries for     
counterterrorism in recent years1 at the
 expense of economic and social         
development2 ,whereas ,tunisia faces    
economic challenges1 including high     
inflation and high unemployment1        
especially among young ,tunisians and   
college graduates2 ,whereas the ,united 
,states is committed to continuing a    

strong economic partnership with        
,tunisia as its government undertakes   
reforms to transform its economy to meet
 the aspirations of all of the citizens 
of ,tunisia2 ,whereas closer engagement 
with ,tunisia through trade negotiations
 would encourage even greater reform in 
,tunisia and build its capacity to      
further modernize and develop its       
economy2 ,whereas the ,united ,states is
 ,tunisia's #gth largest trading        
partner2 ,whereas bilateral trade       
between ,tunisia and the ,united ,states
 has increased from #idi1jjj1jjj in     
#bjaa to #a1bjj1jjj1jjj in #bjah1       
according to the ,united ,states ,census
 ,bureau2 ,whereas the ,united ,states  
and ,tunisia held the #hth round of     
,trade and ,investment ,framework       
,agreement 7,,tifa7 talks in ,may #bjai2
 ,whereas ,tunisia is a member of the   
,world ,trade ,organization2 ,whereas   
,tunisia is currently eligible for      
preferential duty treatment under the   
,united ,states ,generalized ,system of 

,preferences program2 ,whereas the      
,bipartisan ,congressional ,trade       
,priorities and ,accountability ,act of 
#bjae 7,,tpa7 7title ,i of ,public ,law 
#aad-bf7 includes provisions to require 
that a trading partner adopt1 implement1
 and enforce its own labor statutes1 and
 that those statutes include            
internationally recognized core labor   
standards2 and ,whereas1 pursuant to the
 ,bipartisan ,congressional ,trade      
,priorities and ,accountability ,act of 
#bjae 7,,tpa71 ,congress has mandated   
that the ,president provide a #ij-;day  
notification of intent to begin trade   
negotiations and established principal  
negotiating objectives1 which include   
that parties to a trade agreement combat
 corruption1 trade in goods and services
 obtain competitive opportunities for   
export1 and labor provisions are subject
 to the same dispute settlement         
procedures as all other obligations3    
,now1 therefore1 be it ,that it is the  
sense of the ,senate that the ,united   

,states should initiate negotiations to 
enter into a free trade agreement with  
,tunisia4