Tom Udall: “tonight we have before us the Conference Report on Trade Promotion Authority--or Fast Track. I was hopeful that the…”

“tonight we have before us the Conference Report on Trade Promotion Authority--or Fast Track. I was hopeful that the Conferees would give us a bill that had real and meaningful protections for America's working men and women. I was hopeful that the Conferees would give us a bill that had real and meaningful safeguards for our environment. I was hopeful that the Conferees would give us a bill that had real and meaningful protections of Congressional prerogative to change U.S. trade laws. I was hopeful that the Conferees would give us a bill that had real and meaningful expansion of the Trade Adjustment Assistance program. I was hopeful that the Conferees would give us a bill that had real and meaningful instructions regarding international accounting rules. I was hopeful that the Conferees would give us a bill that had real and meaningful protections for U.S. taxpayers against unfair suits against domestic public-interest laws. However, and not surprisingly, H.R. 3009 has none of these important components. Therefore, I will vote ``no'', and I urge my colleagues to do the same. While I was hopeful that H.R. 3009 would have real and meaningful protections for working families, it amazingly takes a great step backwards on workers' rights. As written, this bill effectively rules out any enforcement of workers' rights in future trade agreements. How can American workers compete with foreign companies who pay their workers slave wages?”