Statement by John J. Sweeney, President of the AFL-CIO on the Vote by Congress to Grant China Permanent Normal Trade Relations May 24, 2000 Help | Search:

Members of Congress faced a clear choice today: they had to choose between casting a vote dictated by conscience or a vote dictated by corporate money. Unfortunately, a majority of House members - three-quarters of Republicans and one-third of Democrats — bowed to big money and voted to grant permanent and unconditional trade preferences to China, a human rights violator of epic proportions.

The American people — an overwhelming majority of whom oppose permanent normal trade relations - will not judge these members well. And I fear that history will not judge them well either.

I am especially distraught that the President working families elected chose to divide progressive elected officials and their core constituencies at a time when we need to be unified and mobilizing around Social Security, health care, education and other crucial working families' interests. It is sad that the President secured his "legacy" by forging a cynical alliance with the very members of Congress who tried to destroy him and our working families' agenda a year ago.

We mounted a forceful and nearly successful challenge to an array of money and forces unlike any before seen in a lobbying campaign, and we emerge from this vote ahead of where we went into it. We have elevated the issues of workers' rights and human rights. Our "Seattle coalition" of working men and women, people of faith, environmentalists, students and consumers is stronger. And the Levin proposal - as ineffective as we believe it is - marked an historic turning point: a trade bill cannot be passed in Congress anymore unless it addresses human rights and workers' rights.

We are engaged in a long-term effort to write new rules to protect workers' rights, human rights and the environment in the global economy and to achieve democratic, equitable, sustainable growth. Today we recommit ourselves to the fight with renewed energy and determination.

For information: Naomi Walker 202/637-5093 or Deborah Dion 202/637-5036