Durbin Statement on CAFTA
DURBIN STATEMENT ON CAFTA
U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today made the following statement regarding his opposition to the United States-Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), which is being debated by the Senate:
"By every objective standard, the trade policy of this Administration has failed. And CAFTA will make it worse."
"We face the largest trade deficit in the history of the United States -- $617 billion. Every day, imports of foreign goods and services into this country outpace U.S. exports by $1.7 billion."
"Since President Bush took office, America has lost 2.8 million manufacturing jobs. 140,000 manufacturing jobs in my home state of Illinois are gone, never to return. And this trade agreement will only make things worse."
"Fair trade is rules-based trade and as our trading partners break the rules, the Bush Administration refuses to confront them."
"I have supported free trade agreements such as NAFTA, and agreements with Singapore, Chile and Australia."
"I believe that expanding trade goes hand in hand with promoting American values: freedom, ingenuity, innovation, and respect for people at all levels. That's one of the reasons I have supported trade agreements in the past. That's the very reason I oppose CAFTA."
"CAFTA is a step backwards from current U.S. trade laws. If there are casualties in CAFTA they are American workers and the workers of Central America."
"Free trade isn't really free when workers aren't free to form unions, when child labor is accepted, and when basic labor standards are not upheld. The labor provisions in CAFTA are the weakest I have ever seen in a trade agreement. It basically says to Central American countries, just play by your own rules, whatever they happen to be.' That's not enough."
"CAFTA will hurt American workers, hurt the workers of Central America and create instability in Central America that will force more immigration into the United States. It couldn't come at a worse time."
http://durbin.senate.gov/record.cfm?id=240058&&