Senator Against Trade Treaty; Chambliss: Deal Bad For Farmers
March 23, 2005
Dan Chapman, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.), the newly powerful chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, said Tuesday that he would vote against a proposed free trade agreement with Central American countries that President Bush covets and Atlanta officials deem critical for their chances of landing a hemisphere-wide trade headquarters.

With Congress soon to begin debating the Central American Free Trade Agreement, or CAFTA, Bush's free trade disciples have been scouring the country drumming up votes. U.S. Chamber of Commerce representatives, as well as ambassadors from Guatemala, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic, visited Atlanta on Monday with the goal of persuading business and government officials to pressure their congressmen and senators in Washington.

Chambliss wasn't swayed.

"I am very concerned about the Central America Free Trade Agreement," the senator said in a statement released Tuesday. "I am particularly sensitive to the long-term impacts of the agreement that may alter certain U.S. farm programs. While many commodities in Georgia benefit from this agreement, including cotton, free trade agreements should remain faithful to current U.S. policy and not restrict options available to Congress in future farm bills.

"I would like to support the CAFTA, but as it currently stands, I will vote against the agreement when it comes to the floor."

A vote could come this summer --- plenty of time, according to U.S. trade negotiator Chris Padilla, to twist some congressional arms.

"When a member says I'll vote against if it comes up today, it means, 'Come up here and explain what it means for me,' " said Padilla, an assistant U.S. trade representative. "Members of Congress are looking at which way things are going. . . . I'm confident we will prevail."

If the deal is approved, the United States would join Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and El Salvador in a mostly tariff-free zone where goods and services would flow freely.

Georgia exported $568 million worth of textiles, chicken, machinery and chemicals to the region last year, according to the Georgia Department of Economic Development.

The U.S. chamber, sponsor of the ambassadorial road show heading for Birmingham next week, estimates that Georgia's economy could reap an additional $262 million in exports and 1,500 new jobs in CAFTA's first year.

But critics, including labor, human rights and environmental groups, which protested Monday outside the meeting of ambassadors and businessmen at the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, say the pact would hurt poor farmers, encourage illegal immigration, harm the environment and exploit workers.

If Congress fails to approve CAFTA, the chances for future trade deals --- including the Free Trade Area of the Americas, whose headquarters is coveted by Atlanta officials --- appear dismal. The FTAA would bring CAFTA and NAFTA, the North American Free Trade Agreement, which comprises the United States, Canada and Mexico, together with the remainder of the Western Hemisphere (except Cuba) to create a huge free market of 800 million people.

"There will be no FTAA and no FTAA secretariat if we don't pass CAFTA," said Mark Smith, managing director of Western Hemisphere affairs for the U.S. Chamber.

Even if CAFTA and the FTAA gain congressional (and hemispheric) approval, there's no guarantee Atlanta would win the headquarters, which will serve as the diplomatic and legal fulcrum for trading across the Americas. The ambassadors from Guatemala and the Dominican Republic said Monday that their governments have already decided to support Miami's bid for the secretariat.

Said Carlos Martel, Georgia's deputy commissioner for international trade working to land the headquarters: "Give us a little time and positions made [today] might change."

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