[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 161 (Monday, December 15, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2407]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                               FAST TRACK

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                            HON. ALLEN BOYD

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, November 13, 1997

  Mr. BOYD. Mr. Speaker, today's vote is about the direction we want 
our economy to take, and there are three crucial issues which must be 
addressed if future trade agreements are going to be good for America. 
One, we must ensure our sovereignty is protected. Two, there must be a 
level playing field for American workers, and three, the promises made 
to garner support for trade agreements must be kept.
  As we enter the global market place, it is important that Congress 
ensures our sovereignty is protected. Since the World Trade 
Organization was created, over 20 U.S. laws have been challenged or are 
currently being challenged. Congress has already changed one law to 
avoid facing the massive tariffs the WTO can implement when they ruled 
a U.S. law was actually a barrier to trade. In my home State of 
Florida, we require foreign agricultural producers to ship crops into 
our State to pay for inspections when their produce enters our ports. 
These inspections protect locally grown crops from exposure to foreign-
based infestations which could devastate a multibillion dollar 
agriculture industry. While this State law does not violate any Federal 
statute, it is being challenged in the WTO.
  In addition, this bill does not address the issue of the emerging 
global labor market. As we move toward the global economy, where our 
workers will compete with workers from every country in the world, it 
is important that we address this crucial issue. Given a level playing 
field, American workers are the most productive in the world and they 
can compete with any other country's work force. However, the fast 
track bill we are being asked to vote on today would force Americans to 
compete against people earning less than a dollar an hour and work 12 
hour days. In many cases, our workers are being asked to compete with 
child and forced labor earning slave wages.
  It is important for Americans that trade agreements ensure a level 
playing field is cultivated by bringing foreign wages and worker safety 
provisions up to ours, not by allowing our standards to fall to theirs. 
The fast track bill we are voting on jeopardizes American wage and 
safety standards.
  Finally, I have serious reservations about the promises being made to 
try and force this agreement through Congress. While I was not in 
Congress when NAFTA was debated and voted on, I am well aware of the 
host of promises made to Florida agriculture growers to enlist their 
support. In reviewing those promises, I am sorry to say that vast 
majority of them were not kept.
  In 1993, the administration made specific promises to assist 
agriculture producers in my State. Today, we have half as many tomato 
growers as there were in 1992 and the industry has lost $500 million 
because Mexican tomatoes were dumped in the United States. Our citrus 
growers have not fared any better. They have not exported one orange to 
Mexico since NAFTA became law.
  In the last few days, the promises have started to flow again and I 
have some advice for my colleagues. Listen to the people of Florida who 
have paid the price for believing the promises in the past. Today, 
every major agricultural group in Florida opposes this agreement. In 
short, fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.
  In all three cases, this fast track bill fails hardworking American 
families. I am a supporter of free trade, but not at the price of 
American jobs. I urge my colleagues to vote no on fast track and let's 
get a trade bill which respects American sovereignty, farmers, and 
workers.

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