Walter B. Jones: “I rise tonight, joining with many of my friends on the Democratic side, because I am opposed to CAFTA; and I would like…”

“I rise tonight, joining with many of my friends on the Democratic side, because I am opposed to CAFTA; and I would like to take just a few minutes to explain why I am opposed to CAFTA, the Central American Free Trade Agreement; and I like to quote from a gentleman I have great respect for, particularly when it comes to protecting American jobs, Pat Buchanan. {time} 1930 The title of his article is called ``CAFTA: Last Nail In The Coffin?'' And I will read a few paragraphs from the article. He says, ``As I write, the Department of Commerce has just released trade deficit numbers for February of 2005. Again, the monthly trade deficit set a record of $61 billion. In January-February 2005, the annual U.S. trade deficit was running $100 billion above the all-time record of $617 billion in 2004.'' Let me go read a little bit more from his article. ``Between 1993 and 2004, the United States trade deficit with Beijing, China, grew 700 percent to $162 billion. Since NAFTA which passed a few years ago, the U.S. trade surplus with Mexico has vanished and the annual trade deficit is now running above $50 billion that we owe Mexico. One-and-a- half million illegal aliens are caught each year crossing our borders and 500,000 make it in to take up residence and enjoy all the social programs generous but over-taxed Americans cannot afford to pay. ``The highest per capita income in Central America is $9,000 a year in Costa Rica, which is less than the U.S.…”