Sherrod Brown: “at the White House news conference early this month, President Bush called on Congress to pass the Central American Free…”

“at the White House news conference early this month, President Bush called on Congress to pass the Central American Free Trade Agreement this summer. Earlier this month, the most powerful Republican in Congress, the gentleman from Texas (Mr. DeLay), promised a vote by July 4. Well, actually last year he promised a vote during 2004. Then he promised by Memorial Day that we would vote on CAFTA. Now, I think he means it this time, now he is saying we are going to vote on CAFTA by July 4. As Congress waits for the next CAFTA vote countdown to begin, while we wait and wait and wait, many of us who have been speaking out, on both sides of the aisle, dozens of Republicans and dozens of Democrats have a message to the President and to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. DeLay), renegotiate the Central American Free Trade Agreement. President Bush signed CAFTA almost 13 months ago. Every trade agreement negotiated by this administration, Morocco, Chile, Singapore, Australia, has been voted on within 60 days of the President's signing the agreement. But CAFTA has been 13 months. It has languished in Congress for more than a year without a vote because this wrong-headed trade agreement offends Republicans and Democrats. It offends small business people and farmers and ranchers. It offends Central American workers and American workers. It offends advocates for food safety and the environment. Just look at what has happened with our trade policy, and the gentleman from Texas (Mr.…”