AP: House Defeats Vietnam Trade Bill

[Eugene]

House Defeats Vietnam Trade Bill


Tuesday November 14, 2006 1:01 AM

By MARTIN CRUTSINGER

AP Economics Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - Legislation to normalize trade relations with Vietnam
was defeated in the House Monday, four days before President Bush makes
his first visit to the only country ever to defeat the United States
in a major war.

The measure failed to win the necessary two-thirds majority it needed
to pass under a procedure House Republicans adopted in an effort to rush
it through with limited debate. It received 228 votes in support - 32
short of what was needed. There 161 votes against it.

The administration was hoping to gain approval of the measure before Bush
meets later this week with Vietnamese leaders in Hanoi.

House Republicans were caught by surprise by the extent of opposition to
the measure.

-snip-

House Republicans, who still control the House in the lame-duck session,
could bring the measure up under normal procedures which require only a
majority of votes for passage.

Full article: http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6212713,00.html

[Idioteque]

1. Hopefully they will bring it up under the regular procedure so it will pass.

I don't know why they tried to bring it up under suspension...they should have known they would have lost "anticommunist" Republicans and idiot protectionist Democrats.

[gulfcoastliberal]

4. So you're saying NAFTA, GATT, WTO creates American jobs

Wow, so we're going to build more factories and employ more people if we extend"free trade" to Vietnam as well?

[Idioteque]

6. For the record, I do support free trade...

...but this isn't a free trade agreement we are talking about. It's normal trade relations. It means that when it comes to trade, we don't discriminate against Vietnam, we treat them as we do every country that is in the WTO.

The alternative is keeping the people of Vietnam in poverty.

[gulfcoastliberal]

7. Now I understand..

I thought it was a free-trade pact. I agree with you on normalizing relations - and we should recognize Cuba, too. ASAP.

[wholetruth00]

11. Tell me again, why I should want this bill to pass?

[Bandit]

13. Tell us why you do not?

Why should Vietnam be penalized and not be allowed "normal" trade relations? What do you have against Vietnam?

[Cerridwen]

2. Does anyone have knowledge of this bill and its

consequences or lack thereof for the U.S. economy?

Is this good or bad that it didn't pass?

I bust out laughing when I read "House Republicans were caught by surprise by the extent of opposition to
the measure."

:rofl:

[Greeby]

3. Kucinich was on the floor today railing against this

It's another "WTO Rules" free trade bill to impoverish workers over there, and outsource jobs over here.

Rather odd vote breakdown, 66 Repuke nays
http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2006/roll519.xml

[billyoc]

5. I think there may be a few surprise anti-bush votes

in the lame duck session, a parting gift from betrayed party-mates. ;)

[Idioteque]

8. Not anti-Bush, more anti-Castro

The Democrats voted against the bill for the usual "damn foreigners are taking our jobs" reason.

Republicans, on the other hand, think that it is bad to reward communist countries with trade. That is why Ileana and the Diaz-Bahlart bros. voted no.

[w4rma]

9. Sweet. Good news. "Free" trade can go to hell. (nt)

[jdadd]

10. Bush Going to Vietnam....

Probably couldn't get into the national guard this time...

[donsu]

12. cutting nose off to spite face

I think it should have passed

[gratuitous]

14. Let's see it introduced in the next Congress

I distrust almost instinctively anything this bunch of yahoos is trying to do right now. If this bill is worthy, it will surely be reintroduced next term and we can have an honest and forthright debate on its merits instead of trying to railroad it through just so that Chimpy has a housewarming gift to take with him now that he's finally found the time to go to Vietnam.

Guess he'll have to try to get by on his good looks and personal charm.

[Rose Siding]

15. Someone floated a story to the WSJ that he'd have it flown to him after Wed-

snip>
Now, the House has postponed taking up a routine stop-gap spending bill until Wednesday, meaning the president can’t sign it before he leaves tonight and it will have to be flown to him in Asia......Instead, an administration staffer, at taxpayers’ expense, will have to get on a plane and fly it to Asia for the president to sign, officials said.

http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2006/11/14/a-signature-moment/

WRONG!:

House won't revote this week on Vietnam
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives won't take a second vote this week on a trade deal with Vietnam after it unexpectedly failed, a spokesman for House Majority Leader John Boehner said on Tuesday.

"The measure will not be brought up this week," Boehner spokesman Kevin Madden said in an e-mail. "We expect the bill will be revisited sometime prior to adjournment this year."

http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=politicsNews&storyid=2006-11-14T233234Z_01_WBT006210_RTRUKOC_0_US-TRADE-VIETNAM-USA.xml

Son of Bush's terrible, horrible, no good, very bad month continues.

[Heidi]

16. Kick.

:kick:

[DeepModem Mom]

17. NYT: G.O.P. House Leaders Withdraw Vietnam Trade Bill: Aim was to pass bill before Bush trip there

G.O.P. House Leaders Withdraw Vietnam Trade Bill
By STEVEN R. WEISMAN
Published: November 15, 2006

WASHINGTON, Nov. 14 — Prospects for Congressional approval of several free trade bills backed by the administration were thrown into doubt Tuesday when House Republican leaders abruptly withdrew the one aimed at Vietnam on the eve of President Bush’s trip there this week.

The failure of the Vietnam bill was a deep disappointment and embarrassment for the White House, which had hoped that the president would hail its passage as a milestone in improvement in relations with a country where tens of thousands of Americans died more than 30 years ago.

The bill’s failure touched off a fusillade of partisan recriminations, with Republicans blaming Democrats for trying to sabotage the bill and Democrats saying that some Republicans, bitter after losing the election last week, were trying to embarrass Mr. Bush.

Though the bill could come back to the House before the end of the year, some legislative aides said that its future was in doubt, along with that of several other bills lowering trade barriers with poor countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America. The administration remained hopeful, at least on the surface....

***

A spokesman for Representative John A. Boehner, the Ohio Republican who is House majority leader in the waning weeks of this Congress, said there was a “possibility” that the bill could come back later in the lame-duck session. He said the bill was withdrawn because Democrats were turning against it....

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/15/business/15trade.html?hp&ex=1163566800&en=87fe6f8f64b83576&ei=5094&partner=homepage

[Aviation Pro]

18. Here's one to drive the Freeptards further into the abyss of insanity....

Little Monkey Bush = Hanoi Jane Fonda.

[Omaha Steve]

19. Wonderful

How did I miss this when it was posted? Here is a short article about the situation.

http://www.laborradio.org/node/4660

Labor Wins One On Trade Deals

An attempt by the Bush administration to extend normal trade relations to Vietnam has been defeated in the House. Jesse Russell has more:

With majority support, the measure to extend Permanent Normal Trade Relations to Vietnam was seen as sailing to an easy victory in the House of Representatives. However, it lacked the two-thirds needed to pass as a bill on the suspension calendar. The suspension calendar is generally reserved for non-controversial bills that would be expected to pass through the House if time permitted for them to make it to the floor. After hearing the results, Teamsters General President James Hoffa said that the 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.” However, he added that the fact that because the current Republican majority brought the measure to a vote under the suspension calendar showed that they continue to be “asleep at the wheel.” In 2004, the U.S. State Department classified Vietnam’s human rights record as “poor.” One of the primary reasons, and a major concern to organized labor in the United States, is the lack of a right of freedom of association. That right is what allows workers to organize and collectively bargain. In addition, Vietnam has had an ongoing problem with child labor law violations, although the government has taken steps in recent years to address these international concerns.