Thread: Support grows for CAFTA trade deal

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Support grows for CAFTA trade deal

Bill will help Oregon export more, Rep. Greg Walden says

BY MATTHEW DALY
The Associated Press

July 27, 2005

WASHINGTON -- After months of indecision, Republican Reps. Greg Walden of Oregon and Cathy McMorris of Washington said Tuesday that they will vote in favor of the Central American Free Trade Agreement.

Walden, whose rural district covers 20 counties in Central, Southern and Eastern Oregon, and McMorris, of Eastern Washington, said that the agreement would foster long-term economic benefits for the Northwest, one of the nation's most trade-dependent regions.

Both lawmakers had been pressured by both sides in recent weeks and were the target of personal lobbying by President Bush, who met with them earlier this month. A vote is expected in the House later this week.

All but one of the two states' 10 Democratic House members oppose the agreement, which the Senate approved last month. Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Wash., is the sole House Democrat to support the pact, although it won unanimous backing from the four senators, three of whom are Democrats.

Republican Reps. Doc Hastings and Dave Reichert of Washington long have backed the agreement, which would boost trade with the Central American countries of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua as well as the Dominican Republic in the Caribbean.

The agreement would eliminate, immediately or over time, almost all tariffs and other trade barriers to U.S. imports from those countries. It also would provide better protections for U.S. patents, trademarks and digital software such as music and videos.

Labor unions and many Democrats say the pact could cause the United States to lose jobs and does not do enough to protect Central American workers or the environment.

Walden said he decided to support the agreement after an hourlong phone conference last week with U.S. Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns, Trade Representative Rob Portman and several Oregon agriculture representatives. Agriculture and ranching groups in the 2nd District were split, although the Oregon Farm Bureau was among those lobbying Walden to support the agreement.

When it comes to trade, Walden said, the most frequent complaint he hears is that other countries sell goods in the United States without facing any tariffs, but U.S. producers often have to pay tariffs when they try to sell products elsewhere.

The new agreement "rights this wrong by eliminating most tariffs immediately and phasing out others over time," Walden said.

If Congress fails to pass CAFTA, U.S. farmers "run the risk of losing more market share and seeing more potato- and vegetable-processing plants shut down and more Northwest workers lose their jobs," Walden said.

Stroies Like these give me even more reason to call my reps.

Yep....maybe tell them "HI, this is the President, and under public pressure from recent polls showing that 97% of the American Public is against most of what I've been doing on trade and illegal immigration, I've changed my mind on CAFTA and whatever it was I threatened you with to get a Yes vote on CAFTA, I take it back! So, if you plan to vote Yes on CAFTA, be sure it's not because I tried to bride, hornswaggle, terrorize, or strong arm you, OK?"