Commerce Secretary Fights Trade Deficit

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"We're going to fight very hard to make sure that everybody is playing by the same rules as we open up markets around the world," Evans told The Associated Press in an interview Wednesday.


To lift gasoline production, the Bush administration is considering easing environmental regulations and the permit process for new and expanding refineries, Evans said.


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Evens said that even though it is an election year, he expects Congress to approve a trade agreement signed last week with Australia because it is so beneficial for American manufacturers. Under the accord, duties on U.S. manufactured goods disappear as soon as the accord goes into effect.


He was less enthusiastic about prospects for congressional approval this year of trade agreements with Morocco and five Central American nations — Costa Rica, El Salvador (news - web sites), Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua.


Evans said he plans to devote more time in the coming months to trade and trade enforcement.

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more: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=536&ncid=536&e=5&u=/ap/20040527/ap_on_go_pr_wh/evans_interview