[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 149 (Thursday, October 28, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Pages S13389-S13390]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        CLOTURE VOTE ON H.R. 434

  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, I regret that because of a long-standing 
commitment, I will not be here for tomorrow's vote on cloture on H.R. 
434, The Sub-Saharan Africa Free Trade Act. If I could be here, I would 
vote against cloture.
  I strongly oppose the majority leader's decision to fill the 
amendment tree to prevent us from offering amendments on some of the 
most important issues facing working families in this country, 
especially the minimum wage.
  Federal Reserve Board Chairman Alan Greenspan has said numerous times 
that increased trade has raised the standards of living and the quality 
of life for almost all countries involved in trade, and especially the 
quality of life in our own country. Chairman Greenspan believes that 
the number one benefit of trade is not simply jobs, but enhanced 
standards of living.
  I can think of no more important enhancement to the standard of 
living of America's hardest pressed working families than to increase 
the minimum wage. Surely, it is appropriate to send the message on this 
legislation that increased trade must definitely mean a better quality 
of life for the working poor.
  I had hoped to offer an amendment to raise the minimum wage to this 
bill, but the majority leader's actions prevent me from doing that. 
This trade bill has been offered to enhance the standards of living for 
workers in Africa and the Caribbean. I am certainly in favor of that, 
but there are honest disagreements as to whether the proposal before us 
effectively does so. But, while we express our concern for workers in 
these nations, we cannot forget about the workers in our own country.
  I commend President Clinton for making trade with Africa a priority 
for his administration. His leadership is the driving force behind this 
entire debate. As the Senate debates trade with Sub-Saharan Africa and 
the Caribbean region, we must ensure that we take the right approach to 
building these vital partnerships. Clearly, we must strengthen our 
economic ties with these nations, but I am not convinced the proposal 
before us is the best way to do so.
  Unfortunately, the majority leader's actions have also prevented 
anyone on this side of the aisle from offering germane amendments that 
will help us to build lasting partnerships between African and American 
businesses, provide strong protections for workers rights, and preserve 
the environment. We clearly had an opportunity to enact a bill that 
would make trade with Africa and the Caribbean Basin countries a win-
win for all of the nations involved, but the majority leader's actions 
have made that impossible.
  Any bill on Africa that comes before the Senate should address both 
trade and the other important issues facing Africa today. It must deal 
with the AIDS crisis. It must offer substantial debt relief. And it 
must restore foreign aid. Yet the proposal currently before the Senate 
is silent on these fundamental issues facing Africa. I am pleased that 
Senator Feingold, Senator Durbin, and other Senators are prepared to 
offer amendments that address all of these concerns, and I strongly 
support them.
  I am also very concerned about the impact of the pending bill on our 
textile and apparel industries, which are often hardest hit by imports. 
These industries remain a critical source of employment for many 
American workers. In Massachusetts, many textile and apparel employees 
live in the Merrimack Valley and in Southeastern Massachusetts. They 
work hard, and they have made a lasting impact on our state's history 
and culture.

[[Page S13390]]

  I believe even the proponents of this bill will admit that the short-
term effect of the legislation will be an acceleration of job loss in 
the apparel sector. And while this bill includes a re-authorization of 
the Trade Adjustment Assistance Program, which I strongly support, 
nothing in this bill will create a single job for these displaced 
workers to have.
  While Massachusetts continues to be a leader in exports, many small 
companies and workers are suffering as a result of the trade deficits 
caused by the economic crises in Asia and South America. In response to 
the needs of companies hurt by imports, the Trade Adjustment Assistance 
Program in general, and the New England Trade Adjustment Assistance 
Center in particular, exist as valuable resources. They offer vital 
assistance to firms and workers suffering from competition by imports. 
The Trade Adjustment Assistance Program is an effective initiative that 
has been shown to provide a return on investment of up to 348 percent.
  The American people, I believe, will hold this Congress responsible 
for refusing to address so many issues which are critical to our 
families and our communities. The majority has once again turned a deaf 
ear to the pleas of the American people for action, and I regret this 
latest missed opportunity.

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