,,iii  #aaf? ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 ,,res4 #ejf  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!
 ,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,febru>y #bg1         
#bjbj,mr4 ,murphy 7= himself & ,mr4     
,graham7 submitt$ ! foll[+ resolution2  
:i* 0 ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,f9ance 
,,resolution  ,express+ ! s5se ( !      
,s5ate t ! ,unit$ ,/ates %\ld initiate  
negotiations to ent] into a free trade  
agreem5t ) ! ,republic ( ,tunisia4      
,:]eas ,tunisia has be5 develop+ its    
democratic & m>ket-economy in/itutions  
s9ce its democratic revolution 9 #bjaa2 
,:]eas ! p ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates & ,tunisia 
%>e core values1 su* z respect = human  
rights1 democracy1 & ! rule ( law2      
,:]eas ! democratically elect$ ,gov]nm5t
 ( ,tunisia has committ$ to combat      
corruption & increase transp>5cy &      
acc\ntability 9 gov]nm5t in/itutions1 & 
%\ld cont9ue to "w t[>d ^! important    
goals2 ,:]eas ! ,gov]nm5t ( ,tunisia has
 implem5t$ a numb] ( economic re=ms     
int5d$ to enc\rage entrepr5eur%ip &     
small bus9ess developm5t1 p>ticul>ly 9  

its tax & regulatory regimes1 & has     
pass$ new laws on inve/m5t1             
public-private p>tn]%ips1 & bankruptcy2 
,:]eas ! ef=ts ( ! ,gov]nm5t ( ,tunisia 
to r$uce its budget deficit by tight5+  
gov]nm5t sp5d+1 re=m+ dome/ic subsidies 
= fuel & food/uffs1 & all[+ its curr5cy 
to devalue ?r\gh m ex*ange rate         
flexibility h arguably caus$ economic   
h>d%ips = _m families2 ,:]eas /rong     
economic gr[? & inve/m5t w\ld help      
provide ! necess>y res\rces to r$uce    
unemploym5t 9 ,tunisia1 z well z to     
fur!r /r5g!n democratic in/itutions &   
solidify public support = democratic    
gov]nance2 ,:]eas a vibrant1 /able1 &   
prosp]\s democracy 9 ! ,middle ,ea/ &   
,nor? ,africa is 9 ! int]e/ ( ! ,unit$  
,/ates2 ,:]eas ! political evolution (  
,tunisia /&s z an inspiration = citiz5s 
( o!r /ates aspir+ to e/abli% !         
in/itutions ( democracy aft] a hi/ory ( 
autocratic rule2 ,:]eas ,tunisia        
cont9ues to face s]i\s ?reats to its    
security f viol5t extremi/ gr\ps op]at+ 

)9 ! c\ntry z well z 9 neighbor+        
c\ntries2 ,:]eas1 9 ,july #bjae1 !      
,unit$ ,/ates designat$ ,tunisia z a    
major non-,,nato ally2 ,:]eas !         
,gov]nm5t ( ,tunisia has committ$ a     
significant portion ( its budget to     
def5se & int]ior m9i/ries =             
c\nt]t]rorism 9 rec5t ye>s1 at ! exp5se 
( economic & social developm5t2 ,:]eas  
,tunisia faces economic *all5ges1       
includ+ high inflation & high           
unemploym5t1 especially among "y        
,tunisians & college graduates2 ,:]eas !
 ,unit$ ,/ates is committ$ to cont9u+ a 
/rong economic p>tn]%ip ) ,tunisia z its
 gov]nm5t und]takes re=ms to trans=m its
 economy to meet ! aspirations ( all ( !
 citiz5s ( ,tunisia2 ,:]eas clos]       
engagem5t ) ,tunisia ?r\gh trade        
negotiations w\ld enc\rage ev5 great]   
re=m 9 ,tunisia & build its capacity to 
fur!r mod]nize & develop its economy2   
,:]eas ! ,unit$ ,/ates is ,tunisia's #g?
 l>ge/ trad+ p>tn]2 ,:]eas bilat]al     
trade betwe5 ,tunisia & ! ,unit$ ,/ates 

has increas$ f #idi1jjj1jjj 9 #bjaa to  
#a1bjj1jjj1jjj 9 #bjah1 accord+ to !    
,unit$ ,/ates ,c5sus ,bureau2 ,:]eas !  
,unit$ ,/ates & ,tunisia held ! #h? r\nd
 ( ,trade & ,inve/m5t ,framework        
,agreem5t 7,,tifa7 talks 9 ,may #bjai2  
,:]eas ,tunisia is a memb] ( ! ,_w      
,trade ,organization2 ,:]eas ,tunisia is
 curr5tly eligible = pref]5tial duty    
treatm5t "u ! ,unit$ ,/ates ,g5]aliz$   
,sy/em ( ,pref]5ces program2 ,:]eas !   
,bip>tisan ,congressional ,trade        
,priorities & ,acc\ntability ,act (     
#bjae 7,,tpa7 7title ,i ( ,public ,law  
#aad-bf7 includes provisions to require 
t a trad+ p>tn] adopt1 implem5t1 & en=ce
 its own labor /atutes1 & t ^? /atutes  
include int]nationally recogniz$ core   
labor /&>ds2 & ,:]eas1 pursuant to !    
,bip>tisan ,congressional ,trade        
,priorities & ,acc\ntability ,act (     
#bjae 7,,tpa71 ,congress has m&at$ t !  
,presid5t provide a #ij-;day            
notification ( int5t to beg9 trade      
negotiations & e/abli%$ pr9cipal        

negotiat+ objectives1 :i* include t     
p>ties to a trade agreem5t combat       
corruption1 trade 9 goods & s]vices     
obta9 competitive opportunities =       
export1 & labor provisions are subject  
to ! same dispute settlem5t proc$ures z 
all o!r obligations3 ,n[1 !re=e1 be x ,t
 x is ! s5se ( ! ,s5ate t ! ,unit$      
,/ates %\ld initiate negotiations to    
ent] into a free trade agreem5t )       
,tunisia4