Congressman John D. Dingell

November 8, 2007

Washington, DC - Congressman John D. Dingell (D-MI15) delivered the following statement on the House Floor today in support of H.R. 3688, U.S.-Peru free trade agreement (FTA).  The House passed the bill, 285-132.  The U.S.-Peru FTA is the first agreement to include, in its text, core standards for labor and the environment.  His remarks are as prepared for delivery:

"Madam Speaker, I will vote in support of the U.S.-Peru Free Trade Agreement today because I am encouraged by efforts to include in it important protections for labor and the environment.  The protections make it more likely that the promised benefits of free trade will be delivered to workers in Peru and minimize the risks posed by free trade to workers here at home.

"In the past, I have found the purported benefits of agreements such as NAFTA and CAFTA to the U.S. economy have been illusory, while the costs have been very real.  Too often, those costs have been borne by workers in places like my home state of Michigan, who find themselves unable to compete with the low cost of foreign labor. Similarly, the benefits for foreign workers in places like Mexico, who now have dirtier air, dirtier water, few collective bargaining rights, and are presently watching their new factories close and move out of the country, are far short of what was promised.  It was for these reasons that I voted against both of those agreements.

"I know that my friend and colleague, Representative Levin, has worked very hard to include important protections for labor and the environment in the U.S.-Peru Free Trade Agreement.  I very much appreciate his hard work in these critical areas, and I believe such protections go a long way towards ensuring the agreement will actually deliver on the promises of free trade for the Peruvian people.  I also know that the effect of the U.S.-Peru Free Trade Agreement on the U.S. economy, whether it be positive or negative, will be very small.  Trade with Peru accounts for only 0.3% of total U.S. trade, and Peru’s Gross Domestic Product is 0.7% the size of our own.

"While I believe many of our previous trade agreements have failed to adequately protect American workers, I am optimistic that we can find a way to open markets overseas without losing jobs at home.  I will support the U.S.-Peru Free Trade Agreement today because I believe it represents an opportunity for Congress to deliver the benefits of free trade to our overseas trading partners in a way that limits the potential negative impact on workers here in the United States.  I will carefully monitor the impact of this agreement, both in Peru and here at home, in the hope that it may help guide any future decisions by the Congress about free trade.

"Looking forward to upcoming trade agreements, as the situation stands now I intend to vote against the agreement with Korea that threatens American auto-manufacturing jobs by allowing a surge of Korean imports while Korean non-tariff barriers to U.S. imports remain in place.  I also have strong reservations about the FTA with Columbia given that country’s atrocious record on labor and human rights."