United States-Korea Free Trade Implementation Act

Floor Speech

BREAK TRANSCRIPT

I rise to voice my strong opposition to this trade agenda with South Korea.

Like the two other NAFTA-style trade agreements before us, we know this deal will lead to the outsourcing of American jobs, potentially displacing 159,000 U.S. workers, according to the Economic Policy Institute. It will provide Chinese businesses engaged in the transshipment of goods through third countries an easy opportunity to take advantage of tariff rates that are intended for South Korean goods.

According to the Korea Customs Service, the quantity of products illegally labeled ``Made in Korea'' doubled from 2008 to 2010. These transshipped products come primarily from China and southeast Asian nations.

Chinese companies have a history of transshipping goods to the U.S. through other countries so that they can avoid duties that are levied against them for illegal trading practices. Korea's proximity and 16 ports, including the world's fifth-largest, makes them a usual target for Chinese companies.

Investigations by U.S. Customs in recent years have resulted in indictments and convictions for a variety of duty evasion schemes that hurt America, including cases concerning steel, wire garment hangers, and honey from China. There are no provisions in this agreement to guard against a potential flood of Chinese products shipped through Korea.

That means we can expect an increase of cheap Chinese goods into our market, again to the detriment of U.S. workers, if we pass this agreement. Millions of jobs have been lost or displaced because of our trade deficit with China, and Chinese products from chicken to toys have posed serious public health concerns.

What American families need right now is real job creation. We should be focused on policies that will put Americans back to work here at home in good, well-paying jobs that cannot be outsourced. And what we do not need are shortsighted trade deals that open a back door for Chinese companies to exploit.

I urge my colleagues: Stand up for struggling Americans and oppose this agreement.

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