[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 81 (Wednesday, May 16, 2007)]
[House]
[Page H5059]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        TRADE AGREEMENTS MUST HAVE INTERNATIONAL LABOR STANDARDS

  (Mr. BRALEY of Iowa asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BRALEY of Iowa. Madam Speaker, last Thursday, the leadership of 
the House announced a new trade policy for America. And as this body 
considers future trade agreements, it would be well to look at the 
House Ways and Means Committee Web site where a one-page policy on a 
new trade policy for America is stated. That policy states that our new 
trade policy will ensure trade agreements raise the standard of living, 
including requiring companies to adopt, maintain and enforce 
international labor standards and their domestic laws and practices, 
thus promoting basic worker rights and acceptable working conditions.
  We need to make sure that the maintenance and enforcement of those 
international labor standards are part of any trade agreement on the 
domestic side of those trade countries that we are negotiating with.
  The Constitution of the Soviet Union had great statements about 
protecting the rights of workers and protecting the rights of 
individuals, and on paper that's what they said, but in reality they 
meant little. These trade agreements need to have enforcement on the 
other side to be effective.

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