The street protests at the Seattle WTO Ministerial were only the most visible sign that the consensus in favor of free trade in the United States is eroding. The inability of the Clinton administration and the Congress to agree upon a formula for fast track negotiating authority demonstrates that the lack of consensus has already had an impact on the ability of the United States to conduct an international trade policy. Now, after a close Presidential election and with the Congress evenly divided, the need to develop a consensus is even more obvious.

Senator Max Baucus (D-MT) -- the senior Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, which has primary responsibility for international trade in the Senate -- will offer his thoughts on developing such a consensus in the 107th Congress at a special colloquium jointly sponsored by the Global Business Dialogue and the New America Foundation. A buffet lunch will be served beginning at 11:45 a.m.