[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 54 (Friday, May 3, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E687-E688]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                 NAFTA

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                         HON. NICK J. RAHALL II

                            of west virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Wednesday, May 1, 2002

  Mr. RAHALL. Mr. Speaker, I want to submit for the record an editorial 
from ``The Logan Banner'' about another West Virginia company closing 
its doors because of NAFTA. The work of the Logan Manufacturing 
Company, Inc. a local garment manufacturer creating sports clothing 
will stop production after almost forty years. Sales dropped off as the 
company could no longer compete against cheap foreign imports. The 
article makes an excellent point: What did we expect would happen? 
Exactly what did Congress envision would happen to American workers 
when they passed unfair trade deals that allowed a rush of cheap 
imported products into our market? Were our workers expected to work 
for a dollar a day to remain competitive? I don't think so. Shouldn't 
our country set the standard and not follow other countries unable to 
create economic policies that would bring their people out of poverty? 
West Virginia workers deserve better than these type of trade deals.
  This news comes on the same say the House of Representatives 
considered the reauthorization of the Import-Export Bank. On all 
matters of trade brought before this chamber we must answer to the 
workers in our districts who may be affected by such legislation. It is 
our responsibility to ensure that these workers, these families, are 
not hurt by our actions. Democracy should be as much a part of our 
trade bills as it is in everything else this great nation espouses.
  I strongly opposed the passage of NAFTA in 1993. Since that time, I 
have closely monitored the implementation of NAFTA, and I continue to 
be disappointed with its impact upon the American people. NAFTA has led 
to a grater trade deficit with Mexico, deteriorating labor and 
environmental conditions along the borders and an increase in unsafe 
vehicles on America's highways.
  In addition, recent attempts by the Administration to pass trade 
promotion negotiating authority (formerly known as fast track), would 
allow the President to expand trade initiatives similar to NAFTA to 
include additional nations, and possibly, the rest of the Americas 
under the Free Trade Areas of the Americas (FTAA). Despite my 
opposition and those of my colleagues concerned about the American 
worker, the House passed TPA on December 6, 2001. This bill is now 
before the Senate for consideration. I worry that just like with NAFTA, 
granting the President this type of accelerated trade authority in the 
past has led to government proposals lacking strong labor and 
environmental protection provisions;

[[Page E688]]

something I continue to insist upon for any trade agreements.
  I continue to work to insure that any trade agreement is fair to the 
American worker and results in a fair deal for our economy, rather than 
a fast deal. To that end, I support inclusion and expansion of the 
Trade Assistance Act. American workers laid off as their company moves 
jobs abroad deserve to be compensated for such action. These workers 
must be retrained for other jobs. This bill would prohibit free trade 
agreements without strong, enforceable worker rights and environmental 
safeguards.
  West Virginia workers deserve better trade agreements. The time has 
come to stop these undemocratic trade agreements. As ``The Logan 
Banner,'' put it best, it's time our elected leaders put Americans 
first.

                 [From the Logan Banner, Apr. 17, 2002]

                             Where We Stand

       The workforce of Logan Manufacturing Company Inc., a local 
     garment manufacturer creating the Sportsmaster brand of 
     apparel got a dose of bad news this past week. They were laid 
     off. Logan Manufacturing is just the latest victim of NAFTA, 
     the North American Free Tade Agreement.
       These people lost their jobs because sales dropped off and 
     the company couldn't compete with products from overseas that 
     are made by laborers who are paid next to nothing.
       Logan Manufacturing has been here for 39 years. October 
     would have been its 40th year.
       Back when the Clinton Administration passed the North 
     American Free Trade Agreement one H. Ross Perot warned of the 
     coming of the ``Great Sucking Sound'' as American companies 
     would leave our shores in order to cash in on the cheap slave 
     labor south of the border.
       Perot warned the deal would cost Americans their jobs. He 
     was right. It only stands to reason that in an agreement 
     where we lower all our tariffs with Mexico (and other 
     countries) to nothing while only reducing theirs 10 percent a 
     year it would be a good deal for them and cause many of us to 
     wind up unemployed.
       Logan Manufacturing said the federal government's allowance 
     of imports to be procured for much lower rates than what can 
     be manufactured in the U.S. through programs such as NAFTA, 
     Caribbean Basin Initiative and the African Trade Bill along 
     with the economic downturn following the Sept. 11 attacks was 
     more than they could handle.
       When will our elected officials in Washington wake up? 
     Foreign trade deals that boost sales of cheap items made 
     overseas at the expense of hardworking Americans are no deal 
     at all. Thousands of American have been unemployed over these 
     bad deals. It is time that our elected leaders put the U.S. 
     first.

     

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