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Members of Congress, Union Leaders and Political Dissidents
Discuss Congressional Hearings, Deliver Report (WASHINGTON, DC) - International Brotherhood of
Teamsters General President James P. Hoffa, Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ)
and former Chinese political prisoner Harry Wu today denounced
granting China permanent Normal Trade Relations (NTR) status.
"Rest assured that while Congress is debating the pros and cons
of rewarding Communist China with permanent NTR status, the abuse of
its citizens, its workers, its environment, and its neighbors will
continue - and most likely escalate," Hoffa said.
The speakers were joined by Linda Chavez-Thompson, Executive
Vice-President of the AFL-CIO, Bhuchung Tsering, Director of the
International Campaign for Tibet, and Sonny Hall, President of the
Transport Workers Union. In addition to Rep. Smith, other members of
Congress attending were Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), Rep. Duncan Hunter
(R-CA), Rep. Peter Defazio (D-OR), Rep. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and
Rep. Dennis Kuchinich (D-OH).
Following the press conference, Hoffa, Smith and Wu delivered
copies of the State Department’s latest report on human rights
abuses in China to U.S. Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky via
Teamster tractor-trailer.
"Each and every member of Congress and the U.S. Trade
Representative will have a copy of the State Department’s report on
China delivered to them this afternoon by the Teamsters Union,"
Hoffa continued. "Our purpose in delivering the report is to ensure
that everyone involved in the decision to grant Communist China
permanent NTR status knows every detail of the Chinese human rights
abuses."
Rep. Smith is the chairman of the House International Relations
Subcommittee on Human Rights. The delivery to the United States
Trade Representative’s office was followed by a subcommittee hearing
detailing Chinese human rights abuses.
The International Brotherhood of Teamsters represent more than
1.4 million working men and women throughout the United States,
Canada, and Puerto Rico. |