Washington, D.C.- In a press conference today, Third District Representative Walter B. Jones joined the largest bipartisan coalition to date to speak out against the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA). Congressman Jones co-hosted the bipartisan event with Rep. Sherrod Brown of Ohio.

“Under CAFTA we will keep losing American jobs, and my biggest fear is that one day we will be buying our tanks and our planes from China,” Jones said. “One day the flags that cover the coffins of those that die for this country will say ‘Made in China’ or ‘Made in Honduras.’ Let’s save America, and let’s do what’s right and kill this enemy that’s called CAFTA.”

Since April 2005, more than 1,000 people have gathered on Capitol Hill to speak out against the agreement. Today’s bipartisan event reunited the same Members of Congress and grassroots organizations. The event also included new opposition to the agreement.

In addition to the strong bipartisan coalition against CAFTA, the lawmakers were joined by representatives from faith-based organizations, business and labor groups, family farmers and ranchers, environmental and human rights organizations and more.

Joining Representatives Jones and Brown were Rep. Hilda Solis (D-CA), Rep. Virgil Goode (R-VA), Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (D-FL), Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN), Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), Rep. Butch Otter (R-ID), Rep. Bart Stupak (D-MI), Rep. Janice Schakowsky (D-IL), Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-CA) and others.

Organizations supporting the event included: LULAC (League of United Latin American Citizens), R-CALF (United Stockgrowers of America), Citizens Trade Campaign, National Farmers Union, National Family Farm Coalition, U.S. Business and Industry Council, American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition, Interfaith Working Group, Lutheran World Relief, Church World Service, AFL-CIO, AmericansforFairTrade.org, Sierra Club, Oxfam America, Washington Office on Latin America, United Steelworkers, Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch, UNITEHERE, Global Aids Alliance, Friends of the Earth, Share Foundation, Alliance for Responsible Trade, International Association of Machinists, The Rural Coalition/Coalición Rural, National Wildlife Federation, Quixote Center, Alliance for Responsible Trade (ART) and Earthjustice.

For additional information or to schedule an interview with Congressman Walter B. Jones please contact Kathleen Joyce at (202) 225-3415.