Political Quotes

“I would like to insert into the Record a letter from the International Longshore and Warehouse Union in opposition to the Korea free trade agreement. International Longshore & Warehouse Union, San Francisco, CA, Dec. 13, 2010. Hon. Nancy Pelosi, House of Representatives, Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC. Dear Madam Speaker: President Obama has reached a trade agreement with South Korea. That agreement must now be submitted for Congressional ratification. We anticipate that the President will aggressively shepherd this pact through Congress. The International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) represents approximately 14,000 full time dockworkers and 14,000 part time dockworkers on the West Coast of the United States and in Hawaii and Alaska. Our members are in the business of moving cargo. By all accounts, the Korea-United States Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA) will increase trade between South Korea and the United States, which will result in an increase in cargo movement between the two countries. An increase in cargo movement is good for dockworkers. However, this fact alone is insufficient to overcome the vast deficiencies of the KORUS FTA. The KORUS FTA will cost jobs, lower environmental, labor, food and product quality standards, and empower corporations from the United States and South Korea to challenge public interests in both countries.…”