On the recordJune 12, 2015
I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro). Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, the debate today is about one issue; it comes down to one question: Do we support hard-working Americans or do we abandon them? A vote for these bills is a vote against jobs, and it is a vote against wages. The Trade Adjustment Assistance bill is underfunded. It excludes teachers, police officers, firefighters, and farmers who are hurt when production jobs are shipped abroad, go overseas. If we want to protect working families, we must stop fast-tracking bad trade deals. Fast track denies public scrutiny, it denies debate in this House, and it relinquishes our congressional authority and does not allow us to amend a piece of legislation that will have such an effect on people's lives in this country. Why is this trade agreement in so much difficulty? Why? Because this is the first time that a majority of the Congress is starting to say: We need to prioritize what is happening to the hard-working men and women in our country. What is happening to their lives? What is their struggle? This trade agreement is only going to hurt their ability to have a job and to increase their wages. If we want to change that, then our job today is to vote down this bill. Say ``no'' to Trade Adjustment Assistance and say ``no'' to fast track.
