The negotiations proved unexpectedly difficult. President Bush and Australian PrimeMinister Howard had committed to completing the negotiations by the end of 2003, but differencesover agriculture and other sensitive issues caused the deadline to slip. Tariffs on bilateral trade in most manufactured goods are already low. (Chapter 17 pertains to intellectual property rights protection.) The USAFTA obligates the United States and Australia in other aspects of their bilateral trade in services. (28)
Although, endorsing the agreement, the majority of the ACTPN expressed some concerns: 
that some issues regarding Australia's sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) regime still needed to be resolved before U.S. agricultural exporters will be able to take full advantage ofthe agreement;
that the agreement does not include an investor-state dispute provision and calls for the U.S. government to ensure that such a provision be added if it proves warranted;and
that the environmental provisions in the agreement are adequate for Australia, since Australia has a strong record on environmental protection, but they should not be considereda model for other U.S. FTA agreements where the partners' records on the environmental protectionis not so strong. (32)

	Congress and the USAFTA

United States Trade Representative Robert Zoellick and Australian Trade Minister Mark Vailesigned the agreement on May 18, 2004, in Washington. On July 6, 2004, the President formally submitted legislation to implement the agreement. On July 8, the House Ways and Means Committee favorably reported out the implementing bill, H.R. 4759 , by voice vote, and the full House approved the measure (314-109) on July15. On July 15, the Senate Finance Committee reported out bill, and the full Senate approved themeasure (80-16) on July 16. The bill was sent to the President for his signature. President Bushsigned the U.S.-Australia Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act on August 3, 2004( P.L.108-286 ). The FTA entered into force on January 1, 2005. (34)
Under the USAFTA, the United States and Australia addressed the few significant irritants in their bilateral economic relationship. Accordingly, the agreement could further solidify an alreadystrong relationship. For Australia, those irritants include U.S. restrictions on beef and dairyproducts. For the United States they include Australian local content requirements in televisionprogramming, sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures, state-sanctioned monopolies in exportsof wheat and other grains, and screening of foreign investments. In some cases, such as U.S.restrictions on beef and dairy and Australian investment screening, the two sides agreed to loosenrestrictions. In the case others, such as the Australian SPS measures and state-sanctionedmonopolies, they agreed to establish mechanisms for further discussion. However, in the case ofsome irritants, such as U.S. import controls on sugar, the two countries agreed no change waspossible.
After more than a year of negotiations, U.S. and Australian trade officials concluded a bilateral free trade agreement (FTA) on February 8, 2004. The negotiations proved unexpectedly difficult. President Bush and Australian Prime Minister Howard had committed to completing the negotiationsby the end of 2003, but differences over agriculture, especially sugar, and other sensitive issuescaused the deadline to slip.
The U.S.-Australia FTA (USAFTA) is a comprehensive agreement. It commits the United States and Australia not only to eliminate tariffs on most of their bilateral trade in goods, but alsoto ensure nondiscriminatory treatment in most areas of bilateral trade in services, governmentprocurement, in foreign investment as well as improved protection of intellectual property rights.
Under the USAFTA, the United States and Australia addressed the few significant irritants in their bilateral economic relationship. In so doing, the agreement could further solidify an alreadystrong relationship. For Australia, those irritants include U.S. restrictions on beef and dairyproducts. For the United States they include Australian local content requirements in televisionprogramming, sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures, state-sanctioned monopolies in exportsof wheat and other grains, and screening of foreign investments. In some cases, such as U.S.restrictions on beef and dairy and Australian investment screening, the two sides agreed to loosenrestrictions. In the case others, such as the Australian SPS measures and state-sanctionedmonopolies, they agreed to establish mechanisms for further discussion. However, in the case ofsome irritants, such as U.S. import controls on sugar, the two countries agreed no change waspossible.
United States Trade Representative Robert Zoellick and Australian Trade Minister Mark Vaile signed the agreement on May 18, 2004, in Washington. On July 6, 2004, the President submittedlegislation to implement the agreement. On July 8, the House Ways and Means Committee reportedout the implementing bill, H.R. 4759 , by voice vote, and on July 15, the full Housepassed the measure (314-109) in a largely bipartisan vote. On July 15, reported the Senate FinanceCommittee reported out the companion bill, and on July 16 the full Senate passed the measure(80-16), and it was sent to the President for his signature. President Bush signed the U.S.-AustraliaFree Trade Agreement Implementation Act on August 3, 2004 ( P.L. 108-286 ). On November 17,2004, trade officials from each country exchanged diplomatic notes indicating that implementinglegislation passed by the other country met the requirements of the FTA. However, this occurredonly after discussions were held to resolve U.S. concerns over provisions contained in the Australianimplementing legislation pertaining to pharmaceutical patents. The FTA is entered into forceJanuary 1, 2005.