CAFTA Goes Full Year Without Approval
Congressional Leadership Refuses to Give Trade Deal an Up or Down Vote
Madison, WI - One year ago, on May 28th, 2004, President Bush unilaterally
signed the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), the largest
trade
agreement before America in a decade. The House and Senate typically vote
on trade agreements within 60 days of the President's signature, but CAFTA
is approaching an unprecedented one-year anniversary without congressional
approval. "There's never been a situation where an agreement has sat
around
this long," said Lori Wallach, Director of Public Citizen Global Trade
Watch.
Because of "fast track", if a committee decides to send the trade
agreement
to the floor, Congress can only vote yes or no and it must be done within
60
days. "They haven't started the clock ticking because they don't want the
embarrassment of losing," said Larry Weiss, Director of the Citizens Trade
Campaign. CAFTA is currently 30 to 35 votes short of passage in the House
of Representatives, and received sharp criticism from Senate members in
early May. Four members of the Wisconsin delegation are uncommitted, with
President Bush putting a full court press on members this month.
"Most Wisconsin elected officials have already voted against unfair trade
agreements during the past two years," said Andy Gussert, Director of the
Wisconsin Fair Trade Coalition. Eight of ten Wisconsin delegation members
recently opposed the Australian agreement that would define powdered milk
outside of dairy products, allowing Aussies to flood U.S. markets.
Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI) also voted No on granting most
favored
nation status to China in 2000, No on the Australia agreement, and in
favor
of withdrawing from the World Trade Organization. Congressman Ron Kind
(D-WI) - a thoughtful supporter of many past trade agreements - recently
led
a press conference in Washington opposing CAFTA.
The struggle to stop CAFTA has also become a referendum on the 10-year old
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which has failed to deliver
on
promises made by politicians over a decade ago. "More people are out of
work, jobs are being outsourced, companies are being offshored, and
farmers
are out of business," said Doug Drake, Wisconsin Director of the United
Steelworkers. "These agreements just don't make sense."
Sue Beitlich, President of the Wisconsin Farmers Union, agrees, "CAFTA is
a
continuation of failed trade policies. We were a net exporter of
agricultural products before NAFTA's passage 10 years ago, today we are a
net importer. It clearly demonstrates that U.S. farmers and ranchers are
not benefiting from free trade agreements."
Brett Hulsey, Sierra Club Senior Midwest Representative, fought in
Washington DC over a decade ago to stop NAFTA. Since passage in 1994,
Hulsey has seen lost jobs, lower environmental standards, and the dumbing
down of trade laws. "CAFTA's environmental provisions are weak,
unenforceable, and full of loopholes," said Hulsey. "It doesn't require
competing countries to adopt or maintain a clear set of basic
environmental
laws, giving them a clear advantage in trade agreements."
A diverse coalition has emerged across Wisconsin to oppose CAFTA, with
members including labor organizers, small business, farm groups,
environmentalists, local elected officials, teachers, peace activists and
the interfaith community. For these CAFTA opponents, victory will not
likely come in a congressional defeat of the treaty. Instead, Bush will
simply not submit the treaty for ratification because it doesn't have the
votes.
Most recently, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Bill Thomas (R-CA)
publicly stated he expected a floor vote by the end of May, but nothing
was
scheduled. Now the Senate Finance Committee is preparing to set a date
for
considering CAFTA before the 4th of July recess.
For more information contact Andrew Gussert at 608/213-8585. An online
text
version of this release can also be found at www.wiscotrader.org/news
-30-
Wisconsin Fair Trade Coalition ~ 3129 Hermina Street, Madison WI 53714
Tel 608.237.1659 ~ www.wiscotrader.org
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