[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 106 (Friday, July 29, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1674-E1675]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 DOMINICAN REPUBLIC-CENTRAL AMERICA-UNITED STATES FREE TRADE AGREEMENT 
                           IMPLEMENTATION ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. DENNIS A. CARDOZA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 27, 2005

  Mr. CARDOZA. Mr. Speaker, I strongly oppose CAFTA, because I believe 
it is a bad deal for rural and agricultural communities like those in 
my 18th district of California.
  There is no indication that U.S. agriculture will benefit from a 
poorly negotiated deal that--without adequate safeguards--opens trade 
with a region that has little capacity to purchase our goods.
  This administration's lax enforcement of trade agreements makes 
CAFTA's prospects even bleaker.
  Currently, our agricultural trade deficit with the six countries 
covered by CAFTA totals 765 million dollars.
  If we assume that the projections for CAFTA are as far off the mark 
as the projected gains turned out to be for NAFTA, this deficit is 
likely to grow even higher.
  By passing this deeply flawed agreement, we would do two things: 
Reward these Central American countries for their poor records on labor 
rights--and add to our ballooning agricultural trade deficit with that 
region.
  Like my Democratic colleagues, I believe in fair trade, not flawed 
trade.
  I believe in trade deals that protect American farmers and ranchers 
and raise living standards in our partner countries. CAFTA fails to 
meet these basic standards, and I urge my colleagues to oppose it.

[[Page E1675]]



                          ____________________