[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 106 (Friday, July 29, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1681-E1682]
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. ADAM B. SCHIFF

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 27, 2005

  Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to the Central 
American Free Trade Agreement and encourage my colleagues to join me in 
opposing its ratification. Trade agreements of this magnitude must not 
be entered into lightly, and their impact must be investigated 
thoroughly.

[[Page E1682]]

  I have studied this issue in great detail, Mr. Speaker. Over the last 
several months, I have heard from a great number of my constituents; 
some support the agreement and believe that it will have significant 
economic and social benefits for the United States, others oppose this 
agreement because they are concerned that the environmental and labor 
costs are too great.
  I oppose the ratification of CAFTA because it does not adequately 
protect American interests, ensure that our trading partners will 
protect our shared environment, provide protection for the rights of 
workers, or join us in our fight to ensure intellectual property 
protections.
  Mr. Speaker, a globalized economy in which goods and services move 
with relative ease across national borders is a fact of life in the 
21st Century. As New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman has said, 
``Globalization is not a phenomenon. It is not just some passing trend. 
Today it is an overarching international system shaping the domestic 
politics and foreign relations of virtually every country, and we need 
to understand it as such.''
  I support trade that is free and fair. And in fact, I have supported 
each of the individual trade agreements that have come before me. 
However, to be free and fair a trading regime must ensure that American 
workers are not competing with nations whose labor and environmental 
standards guarantee that we cannot compete, and where the intellectual 
capital of our people is stolen at will. And we must have an 
Administration that is willing to use all the force of its office to 
enforce the standards which are set. The dynamism of the American 
economy, the quality and dedication of American workers, and the 
constant renewal of American society through immigration have left us 
in a unique position to thrive in this new economic world. The 
challenges for the United States are how to draft good trade 
agreements, enforce their terms, prepare our work force to deal with 
globalization, and ensure that our workers have the opportunity to 
fairly compete.
  Regrettably, I lack confidence in the Bush administration's 
willingness to fight for a level playing field on behalf of American 
workers. For this reason and because I believe that Congress should 
play a role in shaping trade agreements, I opposed passage of ``Trade 
Promotion Authority'' in 2002. I do not believe that we should be 
forced to accept a flawed deal, or reject a good deal that has some 
shortcomings. Nor can we accept half-hearted efforts to enforce labor, 
environmental or intellectual property provisions--or, as is too often 
the case, no effort at all.
  Mr. Speaker, one area of particular concern to my constituents is the 
lack of adequate protection for American intellectual property. One of 
our greatest exports is in the area of creative content and 
intellectual property. In fact, this has been the only area in which we 
have had a positive balance of trade with every nation on earth; China 
is now the only exception. This incredible creative reservoir is 
derived from the hard work of song writers, technicians, artists, 
programmers, software makers, musicians, filmmakers and scores of 
others who make their living from the lawful sale of these items. It is 
critical that these resources are protected, and the Administration has 
not adequately sought to put in place or enforce the protections 
necessary to shield America's creators from intellectual property 
theft.
  I have reviewed the CAFTA agreement that was signed on May 28, 2004, 
and I have listened to concerns over labor, environmental, and 
intellectual property issues that have been expressed by my 
constituents and others. I have also listened to those, including 
former President Jimmy Carter, who support the agreement, and argue 
that it will create jobs here and expand democracy and opportunity for 
our Central American neighbors. Ultimately, however, I am not convinced 
that CAFTA is a mutually beneficial agreement that protects our 
hemisphere's workers, environment, and intellectual property, and 
particularly so when the Administration has such a lackluster record on 
enforcement.
  I ask my colleagues to join me today in opposing the Central American 
Free Trade Agreement. Mr. Speaker, it is possible to work with our 
Central American neighbors to develop stronger trade ties, collectively 
protect workers and our environment, spur economic development 
throughout the trade cooperative, and enter into an agreement that 
benefits all interested parties. Unfortunately, CAFTA falls short in 
all of these areas.

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