[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 15412]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    H.R. 3078, THE UNITED STATES-COLOMBIA TRADE PROMOTION AGREEMENT 
IMPLEMENTATION ACT, H.R. 3079, THE UNITED STATES-PANAMA TRADE PROMOTION 
 AGREEMENT IMPLEMENTATION ACT, AND H.R. 3080, THE UNITED STATES-KOREA 
                FREE TRADE AGREEMENT IMPLEMENTATION ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOHN D. DINGELL

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, October 12, 2011

  Mr. DINGELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in reluctant opposition to the 
pending free trade agreements (FTAs) with Colombia and Korea. I wish, 
however, to commend my good friend from Michigan and Ranking Member of 
the Committee on Ways and Means, Sandy Levin, for his hard and 
effective work with the Obama Administration to improve them. Sandy and 
the Administration have fought hard to ensure improved market access 
for American workers and companies, all while insisting that our 
trading partners' labor protections be improved. Nevertheless, my 
experience with FTAs has been one of nearly two decades of broken 
promises and widespread domestic economic dislocation, particularly in 
my home state of Michigan. With our economy teetering on the edge of 
recession and the painful memory of millions of lost jobs, I cannot 
vote in good conscience for more free trade agreements.
  With respect to Colombia, I am disappointed by the Administration's 
decision not to include the Labor Action Plan as a binding and 
enforceable provision of the FTA. Colombia has a well known history as 
one of the world's most inhospitable places for labor leaders. While 
the country was showing some signs of progress under the action plan, 
there is nothing to prevent Colombia from backsliding once the FTA is 
in effect and the plan itself does not have the force of law.
  Although I recognize that significant improvements in terms of tariff 
and non-tariff barriers to trade have been made in the Korean trade 
agreement, I rather unhappily believe that promises will not translate 
into reality. In short, I believe the United States is giving up far 
too much for mediocre market share gains in the short term. This 
agreement may well boost our exports to Korea over the next few years, 
but I am firmly convinced that the benefits Korea will reap in the long 
run--especially in the auto sector--will eclipse any that the U.S. may 
achieve. Even the International Trade Commission estimates that our 
auto trade deficit with Korea will rise by over $700 million in the 
next ten years if this agreement is implemented.
  With due recognition of my colleagues' hard work to improve these 
agreements, I must respectfully part ways and vote in opposition to 
them. Lest we be condemned to repeat it, I ask my colleagues to learn 
the lessons of history and vote ``no'' on these trade deals.

                          ____________________