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Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act

Date: July 27, 2005
Location: Washington DC
Issues: Trade


DOMINICAN REPUBLIC-CENTRAL AMERICA-UNITED STATES FREE TRADE AGREEMENT IMPLEMENTATION ACT -- (House of Representatives - July 27, 2005)

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Mr. BECERRA. Mr. Speaker, President Reagan said it best: Trust, but verify. On CAFTA, that is all we are asking. I think most of us believe that the Central American governments want to prove that they can play by the rules in the international marketplace, but before we agree to open up America's markets, and that means America's jobs, to fierce competition, we must know that the rules will be followed and enforced. Trust, but verify.

An agreement that merely says enforce your own existing laws fails President Reagan's test. The truth is if the American public knew that we were about to open up America's markets to further international competition based solely on the good faith of our competitors, they would run us out of Washington. Just as no consumer today would buy or sell a house on a handshake, neither should we open our markets with one.

When we shook hands with China and allowed them to receive favored-trading status with America, did we expect that they would respond by pirating America's goods or by paying industrial wages of 60 cents an hour? That is the kind of cutthroat competition that CAFTA will permit, but this time that kind of distorted competition will live and breathe in our neighboring Central American countries, not 6,000 miles away. Will the Central America countries feel the pressure to trade under America's standards or China's standards?

Mr. Speaker, no one wins in a race to the bottom. The vast majority of people in the Central American countries, the workers, the farmers, the small merchants, would not win, and certainly U.S. businesses will not win in the long run.

Mr. Speaker, it is better to lift all boats so we can trade as partners and as equals. I recognize the importance of trade in our hemisphere. I have supported every piece of legislation for every trade agreement that has come before me in my 12 years in Congress. Regrettably, this is not a trade agreement I can support. It does not reward work in America or Central America. It is not an agreement that deserves our vote. Vote ``no'' on CAFTA.

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