Dennis Kucinich: “Yesterday, permanent trade relations for Vietnam was brought before the House with no committee hearings and under…”

“Yesterday, permanent trade relations for Vietnam was brought before the House with no committee hearings and under suspension of the rules. I spoke against the bill and demanded a rollcall vote, and last night the bill failed to get the necessary two-thirds, so it was defeated. Now, the people of Vietnam deserve our help. The United States actually has a moral obligation of a long-standing nature with respect to Vietnam that we don't really need to elaborate on, because we understand what this Nation did to Vietnam. If you care about Vietnam, you should care to know that the permanent trade relations would have this effect, this bill. It would cause millions of peasants to be thrown off the land as agricultural supports are withdrawn. Millions of workers losing their jobs at State enterprises wither in the face of foreign competition or downsize and speed up operations in an effort to stay competitive. As a result of these and other factors, there would be a surge in income and wealth inequality, exacerbating dangerous trends already under way. Until we have a trade policy that has workers rights, human rights and environmental quality principles, all that free trade means for nations like Vietnam is more exploitation of the country and of the workers. That is why we need to vote down this bill when it comes back this week.”