Bruce L. Braley: “last Thursday, the leadership of the House announced a new trade policy for America. And as this body considers future…”

“last Thursday, the leadership of the House announced a new trade policy for America. And as this body considers future trade agreements, it would be well to look at the House Ways and Means Committee Web site where a one-page policy on a new trade policy for America is stated. That policy states that our new trade policy will ensure trade agreements raise the standard of living, including requiring companies to adopt, maintain and enforce international labor standards and their domestic laws and practices, thus promoting basic worker rights and acceptable working conditions. We need to make sure that the maintenance and enforcement of those international labor standards are part of any trade agreement on the domestic side of those trade countries that we are negotiating with. The Constitution of the Soviet Union had great statements about protecting the rights of workers and protecting the rights of individuals, and on paper that's what they said, but in reality they meant little. These trade agreements need to have enforcement on the other side to be effective.”