Washington, DC – U.S. Representative Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), Ranking Democrat on the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Trade, offered the following remarks during today’s committee hearing on Implementation of the U.S. - Bahrain Free Trade Agreement:

Mr. Chairman, let me first agree with the comments you have made.  I look forward to working with you and the Democratic members look forward to working with you towards a successful free trade agreement (FTA) with Bahrain.  Bahrain has been a good friend of the United States.  They have helped us with a lot of the political issues, the military issues in the Middle East and we thank them for that.  I commend Ambassador Portman and the Government of Bahrain for making this a good deal, I think, for both countries, and we look forward to its approval.

I have been particularly impressed by the leadership and courage of the Government of Bahrain as demonstrated in regards to the Arab League boycott against Israel and also with regard to changing its own labor standards. 

On the boycott, Bahrain has not only reaffirmed its disavowal of the secondary and tertiary aspects of the boycott, but it has made a commitment to dismantle the primary aspect of the boycott as well. 

Mr. Chairman, I think Bahrain’s commitment in this regard demonstrates tremendous leadership and courage, and I believe it should serve as a model to all other nations in the Middle East.  You mentioned the fact that the Administration is embarking on FTAs with several countries in the Middle East.  I think Bahrain has illustrated that this should be the standard used for other FTAs in that region.

In regards to the labor issue, I fully agree with the Chairman’s assessment.  We are using as the model the “enforcement of your own laws, ” which is a different standard than for other provisions in trade agreements.  I don’t think it would surprise anyone in this room that I would like to see a different model used, one that made international labor standards specific in agreements and that there is no differential in enforcement. 

But we’re using this model and we’ve used this model in other agreements, and we’ve approved other agreements that many of us on our side of the aisle, including this congressman, have supported.  It is very important that the country’s internal laws do comply with ILO standards and Bahrain has made significant progress in achieving those goals.  The reforms of 2002 were not easy, but they were important and they were dramatic.  I congratulate the Bahraini government on the changes that were made in 2002.  I also applaud the leadership of the Bahraini government in working with the USTR and with members of the ILO community to identify additional changes that are needed in order for the Bahraini law to comply with ILO standards. 

I agree with Chairman Thomas that commitments need to be honored.  We need to be sure that these changes are, in fact, accomplished and I know the Bahraini government is working towards these goals and we want to be sure we assist them in any way we can.

So, Mr. Chairman, I thank you very much for the manner in which we’ve been able to work with you, the Bahraini government and the USTR.  I think this is the way that a Free Trade Agreement should proceed.  We look forward to the witnesses who are here today to help us in this regard.  I look forward to working with you for successful completion of this FTA.  Thank you Mr. Chairman.

 
–##-