Last night, the U.S. House of Representatives defeated the Administration’s attempt to extend Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) to Vietnam. Big business and the administration thought that they could stifle debate and easily force this pact through the lame-duck Congress, but they were unsuccessful.
The measure had majority support, 228-161, but it failed to garner the two-thirds needed to pass it on the suspension calendar. To bring this trade pact for a vote under the suspension calendar last night makes it loud and clear that the current Republican majority, soon to be minority, leadership, continue to be asleep at the wheel, and just don’t understand the concerns of workers everywhere.
Last night’s defeat demonstrates that many members of Congress from both sides of the aisle and their constituents are tired of trade pacts that sell out workers everywhere.
During this election, Teamsters and all working people made it clear that they have had enough of job-killing trade pacts. The American middle-class is in danger because of it. The World Trade Organization model has proven time and time again that it is damaging to workers in the U.S. and throughout the world.
We need a new policy that will bring about aspiration and hope for U.S. workers and not policies that hurt our standard of living, and only worsen the current export of jobs that we are currently facing. The fact that Vietnam PNTR is attempted to be sold as a gift to the Vietnamese people, whose government refuses to grant its workers the most basic rights and protections, is astounding.
Vietnam is a communist country. There is no freedom of association, and if you speak out against the government or its businesses, you will be imprisoned. Vietnam PNTR will only benefit the multinational companies whom offshore there in order to take advantage of the dismal labor conditions and low pay that exists in Vietnam. It is shameful that some members of Congress see a benefit in this.
