Last year, imports of Vietnamese catfish totaled 7 million pounds, more than triple the 2 million pounds imported in 1999 and more than 12 times the 575,000 pounds imported in 1998. In Vietnam, these so-called catfish, also known as ``basa,'' can be produced at a much lower cost due to cheap labor and less stringent environmental regulations. In fact, many of these fish are grown in floating cages in the Mekong River, exposing the fish to pollutants and other conditions. They are then dumped into American markets and often marketed as farm-raised catfish. 

    Vietnam says they are taking the necessary steps to fix the problem of mislabeling and dumping. However, this problem is not new and has been discussed with Vietnam for several years. We have yet to see any results to show that they are truly addressing this issue. 

   America is a country founded on the principles of fairness and good faith, but Vietnam must still prove that their actions are, indeed, in good faith. They must stop the dumping of this so-called catfish into America's markets and allow our catfish farmers to have the level playing field that they deserve. Therefore, I do not support extending trade relations to Vietnam at this time.