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Trade
I believe the United States government has a responsibility to actively pursue measures to ensure an equal and fair trade relationship with all our trading partners. Competitive international trade should be included as part of a broader, long-term strategy intended to promote the continued growth of our economy. I, therefore, believe that our policies should be geared toward improving the economic competitiveness of American businesses engaged in world commerce.
Given the opportunity to compete on a level playing field, U.S. industries can achieve substantial economic success in international markets, and this success can result in jobs and opportunities for millions of American citizens.
Administration officials in December 2003 and January 2004 reached agreement on a comprehensive Central American Free Trade Agreement that includes provisions that will eliminate border protection on almost all goods traded between the United States and six Latin American countries (Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic).
On July 28, 2005, the House of Representatives narrowly passed H.R. 3045, the CAFTA Implementation bill, by a vote of 217 to 215. This legislation passed the Senate on the same day by a vote of 55 to 45, and President Bush finalized CAFTA by signing the agreement on August 2, 2005.
I voted against H.R. 3045 because I believe that it will further erode our manufacturing base and trade away jobs and industry from Alabama. Furthermore, I will support only those trade policies which provide better jobs for Americans and strengthen our position in the global economy.
During my tenure in the Senate, I have worked to bring jobs and growth to our great state and have supported federal funding for worker training programs. I will continue to monitor the effects of all trade measures closely, and will support policies that protect American jobs and industries from unfair foreign competition.
Congressional Research Service Issues Briefs
The Congressional Research Service (CRS) is part of the legislative branch of the federal government. CRS, which is a department of the Library of Congress, works exclusively as a nonpartisan analytical, research, and reference arm for Congress.
The following files are in PDF format. In order to view these files, you will need the Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your PC. You can download the free Reader from the following website: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep.html
For more information on this issue, please view the following CRS reports:
Trade Agreements: Impact on the U.S. Economy
Trade Issues in the 109th Congress: Policy Challenges and Opportunities
Trade, Trade Barriers, and Trade Deficits: Implications for U.S. Economic Welfare.
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