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WTO/Burma: House favors US laws in



Journal of Commerce
Monday, September 29, 1997
House favors US laws in WTO disputes

BY TIM SHORROCK
JOURNAL OF COMMERCE STAFF
                        
WASHINGTON -- Opponents of President Clinton's free trade policies won a
victory last week when the House voted to shield U.S. federal and local
laws from being threatened by the World Trade Organization.

The 356-64 vote occurred late Thursday on a spending bill amendment
sponsored by Rep. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and supported by an unusual
left-right coalition of
Democrats and Republicans.

"If I was a proponent of fast track, I would not be happy with the vote I saw
yesterday," Mr. Sanders said at a press briefing Friday. He said the
support for his
amendment shows there is strong opposition to President Clinton's request
for new
trade negotiating authority, which will be considered by Congress on a fast
track
without amendments.

The Sanders amendment will provide $1 million to the U.S. Trade
Representative's
office to report to Congress and local and state governments every time a
foreign government initiates an action in the WTO that could force the
repeal or modification of U.S. laws.

It reflects congressional and public anger at recent attempts by foreign
governments to challenge local laws, such as a Massachusetts ordinance
denying state contracts to companies that invest in the military
dictatorship of Myanmar, formerly known as Burma.

In addition, under the WTO, Venezuela has challenged provisions in the
Clean Air Act, Mexico has objected to U.S. laws protecting dolphins and
Malaysia and Indonesia have complained about U.S. environmental
restrictions on shrimp imports.

"This amendment is a right to know for the American people," said Rep. Bob
Ney, R-Ohio. "It is good public policy that has overwhelming support."

"People voting on this are saying there is no compelling reason to give
away our national sovereignty in the name of global trade," said Rep.
Dennis Kucinich, D-Ohio. "Last night, the WTO got a vote of no-confidence."
Mr. Sanders said state and local laws were a key factor in influencing U.S.
corporations to pull out of South Africa during the period of apartheid.
"To lose that right would be absolutely
unacceptable," he said.

The amendment also requires the USTR to inform Congress and appropriate
local governments when it enters new negotiations that could force changes
in U.S. laws.
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