[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 76 (Wednesday, May 29, 1996)]
[House]
[Page H5572]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




WHO IS REALLY GOING TO BENEFIT IF CONGRESS RENEWS CHINA'S MOST-FAVORED-
                             NATION STATUS?

  (Ms. KAPTUR asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, who is really going to benefit if Congress 
renews China's most-favored-nation trade status for another year? Will 
more of our citizens get good jobs with good benefits? No. Will prices 
go down in our stores? No. We will all wait for that day. But will 
leading importers from China make billions off trading our jobs for 
outsourced production to China? Absolutely.
  People like David Glass will benefit. Who is he? He is the chief 
executive officer of Wal-Mart, the leading United States importer from 
China. Last year he earned over $1 million trading off the handiwork of 
Chinese women who earn 10 cents an hour working 14-hour days. So did 
his top five executives, who hauled off over $3 million just last year.
  Evidently Wal-Mart believes China's repressive regime is somebody 
they want to do business with. Last year, Wal-Mart imported 1,000 
shipments from China by relying on 700 Chinese contract sweatshops. Can 
Members imagine how many jobs that would create in our country, 
including in those communities in which Wal-Mart does business here? I 
say it is time to revoke China's privileged trade status until we get a 
fair shake for American and Chinese workers and consumers.

                          ____________________