Joe Lieberman: “consistent with my longstanding record of supporting trade as good for America's economy and economic development in…”

“consistent with my longstanding record of supporting trade as good for America's economy and economic development in Arab and Muslim countries as important for peace in the world, I am supporting the Oman Free Trade Agreement. However, I do so with some reluctance because of my concerns about its labor provisions. For me, trade must be fair. This agreement is flawed in its failure to provide the tools necessary to ensure rigorous labor protections. I have been pressing for some time for the inclusion of stronger labor protections in our trade agreements. While the agreement would bind Oman to enforce its own laws regarding slave labor, I am disturbed by the administration's decision to ignore the bipartisan views of the Finance Committee by not including a unanimously approved stronger provision against slave labor. Serious labor violations now occurring in Jordan, despite the stronger labor provisions contained in the Jordan FTA, demand that this administration insist on stronger labor protections in our trade agreements and stronger enforcement of the labor protections that do exist. I will vote for this FTA because Oman is a strategically important nation in the Middle East, with which we enjoy excellent relations. The failure of Congress to pass this agreement would threaten our future relations with Oman and our allies in the Middle East generally.…”