[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 167 (Thursday, November 3, 2011)]
[House]
[Pages H7270-H7271]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
END CHINESE CURRENCY MANIPULATION
(Mr. CICILLINE asked and was given permission to address the House
for 1 minute.)
Mr. CICILLINE. Mr. Speaker, I recently visited two factories in my
district in Woonsocket, Rhode Island--a
[[Page H7271]]
textile mill, Hanora Spinning; and a producer of personal care
products, Diversified Distribution. These businesses had a clear
message: They believe in making it in America, but they need an even
playing field.
The U.S. has the best workers in the world and makes the best
products in the world, but we need policies that allow us to compete
and prevent cheating by our global competitors. Rhode Island
businesses, American businesses, can't compete with their Chinese
counterparts who keep their currency artificially low so their imports
are cheaper than U.S. goods.
It's time to end this unfair practice, and I'm calling on the
Republican leadership in the House to allow a vote on the Currency
Reform for Fair Trade Act. This is a bipartisan bill that could create
between 500,000 and 2 million jobs. Ending the cheating by our trading
partners, especially the Chinese, we can level the playing field for
American manufacturers and create jobs. We must bring H.R. 639 to the
floor for a vote now.
____________________