House Passed CAFTA today
House Passed CAFTA today
Date: Thursday, July 24, 2003 7:13 PM
JOB DESTRUCTION NEWSLETTER
www.ZaZona.com
Our government moved one step closer to betraying white collar
Americans by voting for the Singapore and Chile FTAs (CAFTA). Today the
House passed the Singapore Free Trade Agreement (FTA) (H.R. 2739) by a
272-155 vote and the Chile FTA (H.R. 2738) 270-156 just a little bit
later.
The only thing standing in the way of passage is the Republican
controlled Senate. If the house vote is any indication, the Senate vote
will be nothing more than a rubber stamp.
Republicans deserve the bulk of the blame for this bill but plenty of
Democrats got the free-trade fever as well. The bottom line is that
this bill passed because Republicans didn't have the courage to oppose
Bush - their high priest of corporatism.
GOP 197-27
DEM 75-127
One Independent voted no.
Chile FTA roll call
http://clerkweb.house.gov/cgi-bin/vote.exe?year=2003&rollnumber=436
Singapore roll call
http://clerkweb.house.gov/cgi-bin/vote.exe?year=2003&rollnumber=432
If you call your Senator don't let their staff bamboozle you with the
H1B1 ploy. This FTA is an unlimited nonimmigrant visa that has no
protections against replacing American workers.
CHILE AND SINGAPORE FTAs: TEMPORARY ENTRY OF PROFESSIONALS
http://www.ustr.gov/new/fta/Chile/2003-07-21-temp_entry.pdf
There are major problems with H1B1 which will be discussed in further
newsletters but here are the worst of them:
* Singapore hasn't accepted this change in the treaty and the Senate
doesn't have the power to change it anyway. In other words it seems to
be a worthless proclamation. TPA takes that power away from Congress.
They can only vote up or down on the treaty. If the U.S. tries to
unilaterally use this document Singapore will have the right to file a
lawsuit in a WTO Tribunal.
* By tying H1B1 to the existing H-1B program it will be much more
difficult to get rid of H-1B or to change it.
* HERE IS THE WORST THING: H1B1 limits may seem small, but it doesn't
do away with L-1 visas with are unlimited.
If your Senator throws this curve ball, don't let him/her get away with
it. I spoke to Senator Kyl's staffer today and she told me that
although Kyl doesn't like having immigration embedded in an FTA, he
thinks it's vital for the U.S. economy for this FTA to PASS NOW! Kyl
has voted in favor for every H-1B bill so I find it hard to believe
that he feels remorse for the American workers that will be forced into
unemployment.
(The H1B1 points discussed above is preliminary and needs more review
by experts in World Trade law)
http://www.straitstimes.com/latest/story/0,4390,201447,00.html?
JULY 25, 2003
US House okays FTA with S'pore
WASHINGTON -- The US House of Representatives approved free-trade pacts
on Thursday with Singapore as well as Chile, giving President George W.
Bush a victory in his agenda to expand bilateral deals to cut tariffs
and expand trade.
The House passed the Singapore measure 272-155 and approved a separate
pact with Chile 270-156. The measures are expected to win passage in
the Senate next week, which would ratify the pacts signed by the Bush
administration.
'The votes today are a victory for openness and an important
recognition by the Congress of the positive role that trade plays in
growing America's economy,' US Trade Representative Robert Zoellick
said in a statement.
'These cutting-edge agreements eliminate tariffs, tackle non-tariff
barriers, open services markets, strengthen the intellectual property
protections for our knowledge industries, and enhance labour and
environmental protections. They level the playing field for US
businesses, increase choice and value for American consumers, and
provide fresh momentum for open markets.'
Thursday's action drew quick praise from US business groups, which said
the free-trade measures would be good for companies and the economy.
But the vote in Congress did not come without fierce criticism from
lawmakers that the trade pacts may depress wages, erode worker rights
and send many US jobs abroad.
Representative Pete Stark, a California Democrat, said: 'As if it isn't
bad enough that we trash workers' rights in Chile, we have to do it in
Singapore too.'
Mr Stark cited estimates showing 3.5 million US white-collar jobs will
shift to other countries in the next 10 years, and that the free-trade
pacts would exacerbate that trend.
Congress has agreed to give the President the authority to negotiate
trade agreements that could be voted up or down by lawmakers, but not
modified. -- AFP
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Rob Sanchez is board member of NAEA - www.NAEA.US
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