Peter Visclosky: “Mr. Speaker, the average American in 1998 made a nickel less in real terms for 1 hour's worth of labor than they made 18…”

“Mr. Speaker, the average American in 1998 made a nickel less in real terms for 1 hour's worth of labor than they made 18 years before that in 1980. What we are engaged in today is a race to the bottom, a race to pay the lowest wage, a race to give the least benefits, a race to not have a safe workplace, a race to not have to worry about the environment. The Chinese Government said that we will reform. My position in opposition to this bill is they should reform, and then we should revisit the issue. We owe this generation and the next generation of American workers hope in their economic future. We do not give that to them today. Mr. Speaker, I rise first to express my strong opposition to granting China Permanent Normal Trade Relations. Until China reforms its worker rights and establishes environmental standards, approval of their status is simply another stop in the race to the bottom of the economic barrel. Secondly, as I listen to my colleagues rise in support of this bill or, conversely, to voice their opposition, I cannot help but think that we must focus our attention on the broader trade policy goals of the United States.”