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One vote. That was the margin by which the Bush Administration squeezed fast track trade negotiation authority for the President through the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday, December 6, 2001. The vote was 215-214. On the final count, 21 Democrats joined 194 Republicans to pass the bill. The Republican leadership pulled out all the stops, using intimidation and industry-specific promises to woo members to switch their votes. One such sweetener was a measure to require that garments imported from Caribbean and some South American countries use fabric that was finished and dyed in the United States, which won over several Republicans from textile-producing areas, enough to provide the margin of victory. Labor's allies in the House, led by Minority Leader Richard Gephardt (D-MO) stood fast against the bill. (To see the full vote, click here.) President Bush and his top trade representative, Robert Zoellick, are facing criticism for pressing the issue while much of the country remains fixated on the near-daily appearance of anthrax spores and fallout from the September 11 attacks. Opponents say Zoellick is attempting to take advantage of the national scare to force his legislative objectives on a tenuous link to trade. Earlier this month the House Ways and Means Committee voted along party lines to grant Bush the authority to negotiate trade pacts leaving Congress only with the ability to accept or reject an entire trade agreement without amendments. Zoellick has said the war on terrorism makes the pursuit of open markets more vital. I think Zoellicks statement was opportunistic and I think its perceived as such in the rest of the world, said Dani Rodrik, a Harvard trade economist. The White House abandoned an effort last summer to win fast track when it became apparent there was not enough support on Capitol Hill. The IBEW and other concerned groups succeeded in defeating fast track approval in 1994. No President has had such authority since. As long as fast track represents a shortcut for the President to negotiate international agreements without enforceable standards of worker rights and environmental protection, we will stand opposed to it, said IBEW President Ed Hill. To attract overseas investment, developing countries have resisted pressure to tighten labor and environmental laws. Most House Democrats are unified behind legislation that would require countries to observe core labor rights recognized by the International Labor Organization, including the right of workers to associate and bargain collectively. Fast track is now being considered by the Senate Finance Committee. The Senate is traditionally more receptive to trade agreements than the House.
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Fast Track Moves to Senate Following House PassageFast Track Vote RecordAFL-CIO Global Economy |
