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A majority of the United States Senate on Thursday joined the House of Representatives to give President Bush the authority to bargain international trade deals without interference from Congress. The fulfillment of the centerpiece of the Presidents trade policy comes at the decided expense of American workers, who will no longer be able to count on legislative allies for help correcting harmful trade agreement provisions. "Fast track," the presidential ability to negotiate trade pacts free of amendments by Congress, passed on a 66 to 30 vote. The Senate bill, which was at first expected to pass easily, won only after a two-week debate. Although it makes a concession to displaced workers, it a step backward by preventing negotiators from including enforceable workers rights or environmental protections in future trade agreements. While it does help pay the health insurance costs of workers displaced by trade agreements, it does nothing to protect those workers from losing their jobs in the first place. Senators also voted to give themselves the opportunity to vote separately on any trade-pact provisions that weaken anti-dumping or other trade-remedy laws, which was vigorously opposed by the White House. The IBEW advocated for several provisions that would have protected workers, but most of those failed. An amendment offered by Senator Christopher Dodd (D-Connecticut) would have introduced workers rights language mirroring that of the successful U.S.-Jordan Free Trade Agreement, which had bipartisan support. Another key amendment supported by the IBEW was from Senator John Kerry (D-Massachusetts), which would have made it more difficult for trading partners to win trade disputes claiming compensation for U.S. laws they consider trade barriers. "Globalization does not always equal progress," said IBEW International President Ed Hill. "This vote virtually guarantees that American jobs will be lost and more overseas workers will exploited in the never-ending quest for profits." The bill expands the trade adjustment assistance program, which includes a partial health insurance subsidy for workers dislocated by overseas trade. While it expands the number of workers who are eligible for TAA, a large segment of trade-affected workers were left out of the final version of the bill. A House-Senate conference panel will attempt to reconcile differences between the two bills. The House legislation, even weaker on workers' rights and environmental protection than the Senate bill, passed by one vote in December.
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"Fast track," the presidential ability to negotiate trade pacts free of amendments by Congress, passed on a 66 to 30 vote.Fast Track Moves to Senate Following House Passage...12/17/01.House Passes Fast Track by One Vote...12/7/01.
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