[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 8]
[House]
[Pages 11461-11462]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



      STANDARD TRADE NEGOTIATING AUTHORITY, LABOR AND ENVIRONMENT

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. English) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. ENGLISH. Mr. Speaker, during the last 2 weeks, I have introduced 
the House to my Standard Trade Negotiating Authority Act that I have 
introduced which in my view offers a new approach to trade promotion 
authority.
  I have highlighted the portion of the bill which provides for a 
congressional preauthorization process, increasing accountability and 
transparency in trade policy. Beyond that, H.R. 1446 allows for full 
and appropriate consideration of labor and environmental issues as 
important trade agreements are negotiated.
  We know that not every trade agreement raises blue and green 
concerns. For example, labor and environmental provisions are not 
appropriate to append to financial services or competition policy 
agreements. However, where serious disparities exist between America 
and a potential trading partner in the scope or enforcement of 
workplace protections, labor rights or environmental regulation, so 
much so that normal social costs become a significant competitive 
disadvantage in attracting or retaining jobs, under these 
circumstances, Mr. Speaker, our trade negotiators should be allowed to 
encompass basic labor and environmental standards as part of an 
enforceable agreement.
  Most Americans recognize that some of our trading partners do not 
give workers the right to strike or the right to organize. Some do not 
give workers livable working conditions or guarantee workplace safety. 
We need to be able to establish a level playing field for our workers 
competing in the global marketplace through agreements that will 
protect the environment and workers and promote a healthy economic 
competition that strengthens and promotes and expands American values.
  My bill ensures that no country could engage in a race to the bottom 
in order to lure jobs by sacrificing the environment or debasing the 
common rights of its citizens. This bill provides for an assessment of 
labor and environmental issues with every potential trading partner 
when the President indicates to Congress he would like to begin 
negotiations. By establishing a commission made up of representatives 
of government and private agencies with real expertise in these areas, 
my bill addresses blue and green concerns at the start of the process 
instead of as an afterthought.
  The commission, once created, will assess the labor and environmental 
standards of the countries involved, the enforcement and implementation 
of those standards, and make recommendations on how to comply with the 
objectives set forth by Congress. Congress and the President would then 
review the commission's findings and include applicable language in the 
preauthorization that as a part of its scope would address specific 
labor and environmental concerns with that country.
  Mr. Speaker, this fundamental reform of fast track brings labor and 
environmental issues into the appropriate focus in trade policy. It 
represents a conceptual compromise on how to incorporate these very 
real issues into trade policy. We should be confident that a voluntary 
exchange of goods and services will buttress our values and strengthen 
the rights of workers in countries that do business in our market and 
create an economy that in the long run financially supports 
environmental challenges.
  I urge my colleagues to think about trade policy reform outside of 
the box, avoiding a debate of sterile extremes that all too often has 
blighted fast

[[Page 11462]]

track proposals in the past. I call on every one of my colleagues to 
step back from partisan posturing and ideological preconceptions and 
consider how we can unite in defense of our national economic interest.

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