CAFTA Goes Full Year Without Approval

Congressional Leadership Refuses to Give Trade Deal an Up or Down Vote



Madison, WI - One year ago, on May 28th, 2004, President Bush unilaterally 
signed the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), the largest trade 
agreement before America in a decade.  The House and Senate typically vote 
on trade agreements within 60 days of the President's signature, but CAFTA 
is approaching an unprecedented one-year anniversary without congressional 
approval.  "There's never been a situation where an agreement has sat around 
this long," said Lori Wallach, Director of Public Citizen Global Trade 
Watch.



Because of "fast track", if a committee decides to send the trade agreement 
to the floor, Congress can only vote yes or no and it must be done within 60 
days.  "They haven't started the clock ticking because they don't want the 
embarrassment of losing," said Larry Weiss, Director of the Citizens Trade 
Campaign.  CAFTA is currently 30 to 35 votes short of passage in the House 
of Representatives, and received sharp criticism from Senate members in 
early May.  Four members of the Wisconsin delegation are uncommitted, with 
President Bush putting a full court press on members this month.



"Most Wisconsin elected officials have already voted against unfair trade 
agreements during the past two years," said Andy Gussert, Director of the 
Wisconsin Fair Trade Coalition.  Eight of ten Wisconsin delegation members 
recently opposed the Australian agreement that would define powdered milk 
outside of dairy products, allowing Aussies to flood U.S. markets. 
Congressman Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI) also voted No on granting most favored 
nation status to China in 2000, No on the Australia agreement, and in favor 
of withdrawing from the World Trade Organization.  Congressman Ron Kind 
(D-WI) - a thoughtful supporter of many past trade agreements - recently led 
a press conference in Washington opposing CAFTA.



The struggle to stop CAFTA has also become a referendum on the 10-year old 
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which has failed to deliver on 
promises made by politicians over a decade ago. "More people are out of 
work, jobs are being outsourced, companies are being offshored, and farmers 
are out of business," said Doug Drake, Wisconsin Director of the United 
Steelworkers. "These agreements just don't make sense."



Sue Beitlich, President of the Wisconsin Farmers Union, agrees, "CAFTA is a 
continuation of failed trade policies.  We were a net exporter of 
agricultural products before NAFTA's passage 10 years ago, today we are a 
net importer.  It clearly demonstrates that U.S. farmers and ranchers are 
not benefiting from free trade agreements."



Brett Hulsey, Sierra Club Senior Midwest Representative, fought in 
Washington DC over a decade ago to stop NAFTA.  Since passage in 1994, 
Hulsey has seen lost jobs, lower environmental standards, and the dumbing 
down of trade laws. "CAFTA's environmental provisions are weak, 
unenforceable, and full of loopholes," said Hulsey. "It doesn't require 
competing countries to adopt or maintain a clear set of basic environmental 
laws, giving them a clear advantage in trade agreements."



A diverse coalition has emerged across Wisconsin to oppose CAFTA, with 
members including labor organizers, small business, farm groups, 
environmentalists, local elected officials, teachers, peace activists and 
the interfaith community.  For these CAFTA opponents, victory will not 
likely come in a congressional defeat of the treaty.  Instead, Bush will 
simply not submit the treaty for ratification because it doesn't have the 
votes.



Most recently, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Bill Thomas (R-CA) 
publicly stated he expected a floor vote by the end of May, but nothing was 
scheduled.  Now the Senate Finance Committee is preparing to set a date for 
considering CAFTA before the 4th of July recess.



For more information contact Andrew Gussert at 608/213-8585.  An online text 
version of this release can also be found at www.wiscotrader.org/news



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Wisconsin Fair Trade Coalition ~ 3129 Hermina Street, Madison WI 53714

Tel 608.237.1659 ~ www.wiscotrader.org ~ email agussert@charter.net