News Release
Congressman Bob Etheridge
North Carolina

July 20, 2005

                                       Contact: Joanne Peters
                                       Phone: (202) 225-4531

Etheridge Announces "No" Vote On DR-CAFTA

WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge (D-Lillington) today announced that he intends to vote against the Dominican Republic - Central American Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA) when it comes to a vote in the U.S. House of Representatives. Etheridge cited a lack of investment in U.S. productivity and enforceable labor and environmental standards in the agreement as his reason for opposition.

"Throughout my service in the U.S. House, I have supported policies that encourage export promotion because exports can play an important role in strengthening our economy. But our economic policies must work to build the American middle class by investing in education, training and health care for working families as well as expanding access to new markets for our products. Our trade policies must lift living standards in other countries whose workers will compete for American jobs. If American workers are forced to compete with workers from countries without a growing standard of living, the race to the bottom will lower the economic opportunities and quality of life for everyone. I firmly believe that America must exert our global economic leadership to promote democracy and economic growth, but that engagement must be matched with a commitment to empower middle class Americans to compete and win in the global economy. We can do better than this DR-CAFTA, and we must," said Etheridge.

Etheridge also called for the Bush Administration to invest in education, training and health care in the United States so working families can compete and prosper in the global economy. The administration has made cuts to these vital programs, specifically by under funding the No Child Left Behind Act by $39 billion. Last month Etheridge voted against the Departments of Labor, Health, Human Services, and Education appropriations for fiscal year 2006 because of devastating cuts in the bill to education, Trade Adjustment Assistance and other job training and rural health care programs.

DR-CAFTA is a trade agreement between the United States, the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. It has passed the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee. CAFTA now must be passed by the U.S. House of Representatives to become law.

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