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To help U.S. workers, farmers and businesses, and America's long-term economic security, Congress should take decisive action to bring about fair trade with China, instead of squandering this opportunity on a weak Republican bill.

The problem is you cannot have free global trade with highly restrictive, regulated domestic markets.

Congress has the responsibility to ensure that any international trade agreement entered into by the United States must serve the national interest, not merely the interests of those crafting the proposal in secret.

Because countries often have differing political and economic systems, agreements are needed to protect those invested in trade.

As President Obama clearly said just a few months ago, China must play by the international rules, the international trading system from which they've benefited so much.

A government operates and acts differently than a company. So all we want to do is get some transparency here and then determine if the deal should go forward.

I believe that we have to have a new regulatory regime for our financial system.

Recently though, our State Governments have discussed instigating a carbon trading scheme - the details are still to be decided - and that's an encouraging sign.

The developing countries must be able to take a more active part in trade negotiations, through technical assistance and support from the developed countries.

Let's stop big government energy mandates like cap-and-trade, and instead trust the American innovator to make us energy independent.