Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC-CENTRAL AMERICA-UNITED STATES FREE TRADE AGREEMENT IMPLEMENTATION ACT -- (House of Representatives - July 27, 2005)
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Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I thank the esteemed Ranking Member from New York (Mr. Rangel) for granting me this time.
I want to begin by saying, Mr. Speaker, that DR-CAFTA will give us more of the great sucking sound that we said NAFTA would accelerate, and, indeed, it did; 1 million more lost U.S. jobs, worsening squalor in Mexico, huge trade deficits with Mexico and Canada, as we predicted would happen.
I urge those who have been offered a deal tonight for your vote not to trade your conscience for a deal.
If you think about this, American icon companies leaving our country are-just a month ago, Brunswick Bowling Balls left Muskegon, Michigan, adding to this trade deficit, taking 115 more jobs; and then last week from Nashville, Louisville Ladder Group, 110 more lost jobs; and then this week a Kansas radiator company leaving announced it was leaving for Mexico. These jobs go to places where working conditions are abominable, as the gentlewoman from California (Ms. Solis) has so well documented tonight. Sweatshops rule the day.
CAFTA will fuel more such trade deficits as with Mexico, more illegal immigration as people, desperate, try to find some type of refuge north. We know illegal immigration has doubled just since NAFTA passed. We know CAFTA will increase drug trafficking, sexual harassment of women in the workplace. Environmental conditions will worsen. CAFTA will keep Central American workers in sweatshop conditions by rolling back enforcement provisions of the Caribean Basin Initiative, CBI. Indeed, the administration has cut the U.S. contribution to the International Labor Organization for child labor enforcement by 87 percent. What kind of commitment is that?
CAFTA will regress democratic reform in the countries where our Central American neighbors live.
Your conscience should not allow you to vote for this flawed approach that will bring lower wages and benefits, exploitation and hardship to individuals in our country and our sister nations, where full liberties do not exist. Our policy should be free trade among free people.
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