Providing for Consideration of H.R. 3045, Dominican Republic-Central America-Unitied States Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act
PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 3045, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC-CENTRAL AMERICA-UNITED STATES FREE TRADE AGREEMENT IMPLEMENTATION ACT -- (House of Representatives - July 27, 2005)
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Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, I want to make a quick note of this. Is the previous speaker arguing that NAFTA derailed illegal immigration to the United States or slowed it down?
Mr. Speaker, let me stand in opposition to the Central American Free Trade Agreement. Let me say at the outset that I do not reflexively oppose international trade. The previous speaker noted the trade agreements he has voted against. Let me talk about the trade agreements I have voted for, all of them from this administration: Australia, Singapore, Chile, Morocco; and in the past, China, GATT and WTO.
I know that done the right way with carefully balanced provisions, these agreements can expand the U.S. economy and create jobs. Trade can really be good for American workers and American businesses. Indeed, I believe we could have struck an acceptable agreement with Central America. I have no choice but to oppose this agreement because it failed to reach a crucial balance. In truth, it did not even come close.
CAFTA would exacerbate the crisis in our country's trade deficit, and it is completely unfair to U.S. workers and companies. We have already got trade deficits with every one of the CAFTA countries, and this agreement will only make that situation worse. What is more, it is the first time that the United States has negotiated a trade agreement with developing countries that have weak labor laws and histories of violent suppression of worker rights.
CAFTA should have stipulated that our trading partners adhere to basic internationally recognized labor standards like prohibitions on child labor, prison labor, and guaranteeing workers the right to organize. Instead, it only requires that those countries enforce whatever laws they happen to have on their books. Those laws are wholly inadequate, and they will only get worse because CAFTA will set off a race to the bottom. We are already seeing it. Some of the CAFTA countries have already taken steps to water down their labor laws so that they are the cheapest destination for foreign investment.
This CAFTA agreement passed up an opportunity to conduct trade the right way. It passed up an opportunity to expand the U.S. economy and create jobs. It passed up an opportunity to help our neighbors to the south develop safe and decent workplaces. It passed up an opportunity to reduce our country's trade deficit. It passed up an opportunity to do the right thing by U.S. workers and firms.
I intend to oppose this misguided agreement, and I urge the rest of the Members of this institution to do the same.
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