Related Articles
Bush
Signs Fast Track; August 6, 2002 With the flourish of his pen, President Bush signed long-sought fast track negotiating authority today, making it easier for him to negotiate international trade deals without interference from Congress. The Senate and House of Representatives voted to give him such authority in the last two weeks, something no president has had in eight years. The U.S. Senate delivered to President Bush his long-sought "fast track" negotiating authority for international trade pacts by approving the legislation on August 1. The House had passed the bill on July 27. The labor movement was instrumental in rescinding the authority and has fought against "fast track," which gives the President carte blanche to make trade deals with other countries without amendment from Congress. The inability to amend strips Congress of the chance to intervene on behalf of domestic and overseas workers likely to be hurt by the deals the administration makes. "The working men and women of America cant afford the high cost of fast track," said IBEW President Edwin D. Hill. "Along with the export of our jobs goes the American way of life." The President made a rare personal appeal to Republicans on Capitol Hill before the vote as he, the House leadership team and corporate lobby groups worked overtime to secure passage. Lawmakers who voted for the trade legislation will likely get their payoff in the form of corporate campaign contributions. The worker victims will get little except a few token protections inserted at the last moment to give members of Congress cover. In December the House passed its version of fast track by just one vote, 215214. The Senate version, which contained some stronger pro-worker provisions and protections of current U.S. trade laws, won approval in May. But in a series of swift, closed-door sessions, House and Senate negotiators removed or weakened most of those Senate provisions.
|
