Tom Harkin: “In my remaining time, Mr. President, I would like to explain why my amendment that I will be offering on fast track…”

“In my remaining time, Mr. President, I would like to explain why my amendment that I will be offering on fast track deals specifically with exploitative child labor in a way that will enhance and strengthen the President's position. Now, there are other labor provisions that ought to be put into this bill, and there has been a lot of debate and disagreement on ways to address labor, environmental, and health and safety issues in this legislation. I understand the reasons for these disagreements. But, honestly, I do not see how there can be any disagreement on the need to address exploitative child labor and to ensure that the President and our trade negotiators do not have their hands tied when it comes to negotiating and concluding agreements on this issue. This is the benchmark that I believe should be applied to exploitative child labor in examining the bill before us. It is simply this. The President's authority and our directions to him to negotiate on exploitative child labor should be no less than that for the other important issues contained in this bill.”