[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 112 (Wednesday, September 20, 2000)]
[House]
[Page H7898]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              PERMANENT NORMAL TRADE RELATIONS WITH CHINA

  (Mr. PASCRELL asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PASCRELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my deep disappointment 
that the Senate has approved permanent normal trade relations with 
China, which the President will soon sign.
  Contrary to the cheers heard from private industry, this is not a 
moment of celebration for millions of hard-working American men and 
women. In fact, American workers in specific industries are watching 
their jobs disappear. We have sacrificed their livelihood on the alter 
of trade with China. These are working people who will soon see their 
jobs exported overseas. In New Jersey, we will lose 22,000 jobs over 
the next 10 years.
  Upon enactment of PNTR, the United States is caving in to pressure 
from private industry and turning a blind eye to the Chinese 
Government's flagrant shortcomings. I did not vote for PNTR when it was 
considered in the House because an affirmative vote was one that would 
legitimize the actions of a government known for terrorizing its 
citizens, disallowing free speech and religion, and for breaking every 
trade agreement they have made with the United States.
  Increased trade with China will not force the reform and democracy in 
their deeply flawed government. We have given them a pink slip, our 
workers, Mr. Speaker.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise to express my deep concern and disappointment 
that the Senate has approved Permanent Normal Trade Relations with 
China, which the President will soon sign into law.
  Contrary to the cheers heard from private industry, this is not a 
moment of celebration for millions of hard working American men and 
women who will get the short end of the stick. PNTR is a bad deal for 
the United States and its people.
  I am ashamed to tell the men and women in my district, the Eighth 
Congressional District of New Jersey, that this bill passed Congress. 
These are working people, who will soon see their jobs exported 
overseas. New Jersey will lose over 22 thousand jobs over the next ten 
years upon enactment of this bill.
  Furthermore, upon enactment of PNTR, the United States is caving in 
to pressure from private industry and turning a blind eye to the 
Chinese government's flagrant shortcomings.
  I did not vote for China PNTR when it was considered in the House 
because an affirmative vote was one that would legitimize the actions 
of a government known for terrorizing its citizens, disallowing free 
speech and religion, and for breaking every trade agreement with the 
United States.
  Increased trade with China will not foster reform and democracy in 
their deeply flawed government. Instead, it will lead America into 
trade deficits, as has been proven in normal trade relations agreements 
in the past. Most importantly, I am disappointed that the American 
worker was not well represented in this Congress.
  Instead of ensuring that hard working American families are secure in 
their jobs so that they can put food on their table, clothes on their 
backs, and pay their mortgage, the Congress has just handed them a pink 
slip.
  I applaud the attempts of some of my colleagues in the Senate who 
tried to offer remedies to this flawed bill, but were rebuffed with 
each and every attempt. I was disappointed that constructive 
amendments--amendments dealing with labor standards, human rights, 
weapons technology and policy toward Taiwan--were rejected. I try to 
remain optimistic about the prospects for our future. But I am 
continually discouraged from optimism when I watch the textile industry 
in my district vanish before my very eyes.
  How can the workers in my District be optimistic when they are 
looking for work in trades that will no longer be based in the United 
States? Right before the House took the vote on China PNTR, workers in 
my district held a rally against passage. The site? A textile company 
that had closed down because jobs have been exported overseas slowly, 
but surely.
  Workers, businessmen, students and veterans were all in attendance at 
the rally, united against this trade policy that will be enacted soon 
after I speak here today. The opposition I stood with that day was a 
broad coalition of patriots. They would like us to export our values 
before our jobs.
  This trade agreement is nothing more than corporate welfare. We are 
paving the way for multinational corporations to exploit low-wage 
workers without fear of human rights violations for working conditions.
  After all, workers in China are not protected by their government. 
There are no unions, no freedoms, no whistle-blowing, no legal recourse 
for inhumane conditions, no freedom of speech . . . the list goes on 
and on.
  I will never surrender my moral compass, and that the only thing I 
want to be permanent between the United States and China is a 
commitment to freedom. I vehemently oppose the passage of China PNTR, 
and will continue to fight on behalf of American laborers in the 
future. God bless America.

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