Cord Byrd: “so you see Mr. Zoellick, according to the Wall Street Journal, ``led the way in making extraordinary concessions to…”

“so you see Mr. Zoellick, according to the Wall Street Journal, ``led the way in making extraordinary concessions to developing countries,'' including ``agreeing to renegotiate America's anti-dumping laws.'' Among the big winners, according to the Journal, were foreign steel makers and big multinational manufacturers. The big losers? Guess. I will give you one guess. U.S. steel makers and auto makers are the big losers. Our trading partners, who often protect their home markets by turning a blind eye to anticompetitive practices by their big manufacturers, hypocritically call our trade laws ``protectionist,'' and they find allies here in the United States among those who claim for themselves the banner of ``free trade.'' Let us be clear: the American people demand that the fruits of their labor be able to compete without fear of foreign predation. They want trade that is both free and fair. Let us also clear away--once and for all--the cant about ``protectionism.'' Our antidumping law is based on a very simple requirement for foreign manufacturers. What is it? Do not injure producers in our market by selling below cost or charging less here than you charge in your home market. The plain fact is that foreign producers of certain products, such as steel and autos and lumber, dump in America year after year after year, and put all of their efforts into weakening our antidumping laws.”