/ News & Press / Video / Bernie Sanders – TPP - A Raw Deal for America
Bernie Sanders – TPP - A Raw Deal for America
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00:00:00.000 not one she should investigate a scandal 00:00:04.24900:00:04.259 that he had with the madam and be paid 00:00:07.40000:00:07.410 for segments 00:00:08.41900:00:08.429 he should add the fourth one George I'm 00:00:10.73000:00:10.740 gonna let you go there the Senators 00:00:12.58900:00:12.599 returning is the speak in morning 00:00:15.79900:00:15.809 business without objection 00:00:22.02900:00:22.039 mr. president I rise in strong 00:00:25.79000:00:25.800 opposition to the fast-track bill that 00:00:29.35900:00:29.369 the Finance Committee approved last 00:00:31.88000:00:31.890 night that will be on the floor I think 00:00:35.03000:00:35.040 here next week or the following week on 00:00:37.31000:00:37.320 the trans-pacific partnership the most 00:00:43.28000:00:43.290 important aspect I think of this debate 00:00:46.94000:00:46.950 is that what we are discussing with the 00:00:49.63900:00:49.649 TPP is not a new concept it's not like 00:00:52.06900:00:52.079 somebody came up and said I got a great 00:00:53.84000:00:53.850 idea let's try this trade agreement and 00:00:56.56900:00:56.579 it's gonna be really good for the 00:00:57.70900:00:57.719 American worker and the American middle 00:01:00.43900:01:00.449 class and the American people the truth 00:01:02.81000:01:02.820 of the matter is is that we have seen 00:01:06.26000:01:06.270 this movie time and time and time again 00:01:09.28900:01:09.299 and let me tell you that the ending of 00:01:12.08000:01:12.090 this movie is not very good 00:01:14.21000:01:14.220 it's pretty bad ending and I think most 00:01:16.55000:01:16.560 Americans understand that our past trade 00:01:20.03000:01:20.040 agreements have failed American workers 00:01:23.27000:01:23.280 are and have led to the loss of millions 00:01:26.69000:01:26.700 of decent-paying jobs but I simply don't 00:01:29.21000:01:29.220 understand if we were going forward in 00:01:30.80000:01:30.810 the first place 00:01:31.73000:01:31.740 no idea maybe give it a shot but when we 00:01:35.53900:01:35.549 went forward with NAFTA went forward 00:01:38.51000:01:38.520 with CAFTA went forward with permanent 00:01:40.81900:01:40.829 normal trade relations that we heard all 00:01:42.74000:01:42.750 of these folks telling us how great 00:01:45.23000:01:45.240 these agreements were going to be and it 00:01:47.63000:01:47.640 turned out that virtually everything 00:01:48.92000:01:48.930 that they said was inaccurate not true 00:01:51.44000:01:51.450 why in god's name would we go forward 00:01:54.10900:01:54.119 with another trade agreement which is in 00:01:55.96900:01:55.979 fact larger than previous trade 00:01:58.19000:01:58.200 agreements and let me just give you an 00:02:00.53000:02:00.540 example of what I mean mr. president on 00:02:03.35000:02:03.360 September 19 1993 President Bill Clinton 00:02:07.58000:02:07.590 said the following quote I believe that 00:02:11.42000:02:11.430 NAFTA will create 200 00:02:13.41000:02:13.420 thousand American jobs in the first two 00:02:16.14000:02:16.150 years of its effect I believe that NAFTA 00:02:19.11000:02:19.120 will create a million jobs in the first 00:02:21.80900:02:21.819 five years of its impact in Dakota so 00:02:24.54000:02:24.550 President Clinton was pushing them after 00:02:26.28000:02:26.290 a game it very very hard and that's what 00:02:29.82000:02:29.830 he said 00:02:30.42000:02:30.430 in 1993 same year the Heritage 00:02:34.89000:02:34.900 Foundation one of the most conservative 00:02:37.22900:02:37.239 think tanks in the country say here you 00:02:39.47900:02:39.489 have a liberal President Bill Clinton II 00:02:41.52000:02:41.530 of a conservative think-tank the 00:02:43.38000:02:43.390 Heritage Foundation this is what they 00:02:45.18000:02:45.190 said virtually all economists agree the 00:02:48.36000:02:48.370 NAFTA will produce a net increase of US 00:02:51.18000:02:51.190 jobs over the next decade in 1993 the 00:02:56.46000:02:56.470 distinguished senator from Kentucky who 00:02:58.86000:02:58.870 is now a majority leader Mitch McConnell 00:03:00.77000:03:00.780 this is what he said and I quote 00:03:03.11000:03:03.120 American firms will not move to Mexico 00:03:05.75000:03:05.760 just for lower wages Mitch McConnell 00:03:09.02000:03:09.03000:03:11.28000:03:11.290 just for lower wages well was President 00:03:16.17000:03:16.180 Clinton right was the Heritage 00:03:18.59900:03:18.609 Foundation right was Senator McConnell 00:03:21.59900:03:21.609 right now I think the evidence is pretty 00:03:23.75900:03:23.769 clear that they were all wrong according 00:03:27.44900:03:27.459 to the well respected economists that 00:03:29.43000:03:29.440 the Economic Policy Institute and their 00:03:32.52000:03:32.530 facts are usually hold up pretty well 00:03:35.47900:03:35.489 NAFTA has led to the loss of more than 00:03:38.06900:03:38.079 six hundred and eighty thousand American 00:03:40.80000:03:40.810 jobs six hundred eighty thousand 00:03:42.42000:03:42.430 American jobs what President Clinton 00:03:44.37000:03:44.380 said was wrong with the Heritage 00:03:46.28900:03:46.299 Foundation said was wrong we lost 00:03:48.87000:03:48.880 substantial numbers of jobs in 1993 the 00:03:52.56000:03:52.570 year before NAFTA was implemented the 00:03:54.75000:03:54.760 United States had a trade surplus with 00:03:56.55000:03:56.560 Mexico of more than 1.6 billion dollars 00:03:59.72000:03:59.730 last year the trade deficit with Mexico 00:04:02.39000:04:02.400 was fifty three billion dollars we had a 00:04:06.47900:04:06.489 trade surplus of 1.6 billion last year 00:04:10.08000:04:10.090 we had a deficit of 53 billion now how 00:04:14.00900:04:14.019 is that a success I don't quite know in 00:04:18.02900:04:18.039 other words mr. president NAFTA has been 00:04:20.25000:04:20.260 a disaster for American workers what 00:04:22.50000:04:22.510 about the Chinese trade agreement I 00:04:24.36000:04:24.370 remember hearing all of the 00:04:26.48000:04:26.490 discussions about how great it would be 00:04:28.12900:04:28.139 if we had a trade agreement with a huge 00:04:30.37900:04:30.389 country like China think about all of 00:04:32.99000:04:33.000 the American products that they would be 00:04:34.87900:04:34.889 buying manufactured here in the United 00:04:37.01000:04:37.020 States here is what President Clinton 00:04:40.40000:04:40.410 again President Bill Clinton said about 00:04:42.89000:04:42.900 PNTR with China back in 1999 and it's 00:04:46.15900:04:46.169 important to remember what people said 00:04:48.67000:04:48.680 because they're saying the same thing 00:04:50.90000:04:50.910 about this trade agreement but this is 00:04:53.60000:04:53.610 back in nineteen you know I'd Bill 00:04:55.04000:04:55.050 Clinton president PNTR with China quote 00:04:57.86000:04:57.870 in opening the economy of China the 00:05:01.52000:05:01.530 agreement will create unprecedented 00:05:03.33900:05:03.349 opportunities for American farmers 00:05:05.45000:05:05.460 workers and companies to compete 00:05:07.96900:05:07.979 successfully in China's market this is a 00:05:11.08900:05:11.099 hundred to nothing deal for America when 00:05:13.30900:05:13.319 it comes to the economic consequences 00:05:15.40900:05:15.419 end of quote once again that's a liberal 00:05:18.98000:05:18.990 president now you have the conservative 00:05:21.55900:05:21.569 think tanks loved unfettered free trade 00:05:23.99000:05:24.000 in 1999 1999 discussing PNTR with China 00:05:29.71900:05:29.729 the conservative economist economist at 00:05:32.48000:05:32.490 the Cato Institute these are really 00:05:34.39900:05:34.409 conservative guys is what they said 00:05:36.43900:05:36.449 quote the silliest argument against pnt 00:05:39.68000:05:39.690 allah is that chinese imports would 00:05:42.11000:05:42.120 overwhelm US industry in fact American 00:05:45.89000:05:45.900 workers are far more productive than 00:05:47.39000:05:47.400 their Chinese counterparts PNTR would 00:05:49.96900:05:49.979 create far more export opportunities for 00:05:53.36000:05:53.370 America than the Chinese well what can 00:05:56.62900:05:56.639 we say about that Cato Institute wrote 00:05:59.89000:05:59.900 1999 quote the silliest argument against 00:06:03.77000:06:03.780 PNTR is that Chinese imports will 00:06:06.17000:06:06.180 overwhelm us industry yeah right so you 00:06:10.27900:06:10.289 go out to any department store in 00:06:12.02000:06:12.030 America and you buy products where are 00:06:14.24000:06:14.250 those products made guess what they're 00:06:16.49000:06:16.500 made in China it appears that in fact 00:06:19.45900:06:19.469 Chinese imports did overwhelm US 00:06:22.82000:06:22.830 industry Cato Institute was dead wrong 00:06:27.96900:06:27.979 it's the president again nobody is 00:06:31.70000:06:31.710 really surprised that there's no more 00:06:33.43900:06:33.449 debate about this PN T P permanent 00:06:36.92000:06:36.930 normal trade relations with China that 00:06:39.35000:06:39.360 trade agreement 00:06:40.39900:06:40.409 disaster the Economic Policy Institute 00:06:42.97900:06:42.989 has estimated that that tray to remove 00:06:45.73900:06:45.749 China has led to the loss of 2.7 million 00:06:49.57000:06:49.580 American jobs the trade deficit with 00:06:53.57000:06:53.580 China has increased from 83 billion in 00:06:56.50900:06:56.519 2001 to 342 billion dollars in 2014 now 00:07:05.68900:07:05.699 in terms of China I I don't know that 00:07:08.44900:07:08.459 the American people have any doubt about 00:07:09.91900:07:09.929 it 00:07:10.96900:07:10.979 every time we go shopping the products 00:07:13.15900:07:13.169 of whelmingly made in China people look 00:07:16.69900:07:16.709 at their own towns in their own States 00:07:19.54900:07:19.559 my state loss of more and more 00:07:22.27900:07:22.289 manufacturing jobs since 2001 we have 00:07:25.66900:07:25.679 lost 60,000 manufacturing facilities in 00:07:29.71900:07:29.729 America not all of it is attributable to 00:07:32.92900:07:32.939 trade there are other reasons but a lot 00:07:34.79000:07:34.800 of it is attributable to trade millions 00:07:37.15900:07:37.169 of decent-paying jobs gone people thrown 00:07:40.87900:07:40.889 out on the street as companies move to 00:07:43.24900:07:43.259 China Vietnam and other low-wage 00:07:45.29000:07:45.300 countries there's not a debate about it 00:07:47.38900:07:47.399 that is exactly what has happened 00:07:49.77900:07:49.789 corporation if the corporation has said 00:07:52.39900:07:52.409 why do I want to pay an American work of 00:07:55.27900:07:55.289 15 20 bucks an hour why do I want to 00:07:57.98000:07:57.990 deal with the Union why do I have to 00:07:59.60000:07:59.610 obey environmental regulations I can 00:08:02.56900:08:02.579 move to China I can move to Vietnam I 00:08:04.96900:08:04.979 can move to Malaysia I can move to 00:08:06.91900:08:06.929 Mexico I can pay people pennies an hour 00:08:09.67900:08:09.689 bring the product back into the United 00:08:11.92900:08:11.939 States that is what they said that is 00:08:14.05900:08:14.069 what they have done major corporation 00:08:16.85000:08:16.860 after major corporation has reduced 00:08:18.97900:08:18.989 employment in America at the same time 00:08:21.67900:08:21.689 as they have increased employment above 00:08:23.86900:08:23.879 in other countries and not only is it 00:08:26.62900:08:26.639 the loss of jobs it is the race to the 00:08:28.87900:08:28.889 bottom 00:08:29.54000:08:29.550 it is employers saying to work as look 00:08:32.26900:08:32.279 I'm cutting your health care I'm not 00:08:34.81900:08:34.829 giving you a raise and if you don't like 00:08:36.35000:08:36.360 it I move into China because we got 00:08:39.31900:08:39.329 people all over the world who are 00:08:40.67000:08:40.680 prepared to work for wages a lot lower 00:08:42.94900:08:42.959 than you are receiving you take it or 00:08:44.74900:08:44.759 leave it and that is one of the reasons 00:08:47.17000:08:47.180 why today the typical American worker is 00:08:50.54000:08:50.550 working longer hours for lower wages 00:08:52.28000:08:52.290 than he or she 00:08:54.18000:08:54.190 you still and why wages have gone down 00:08:56.40000:08:56.410 in America that's what the global 00:08:58.50000:08:58.510 economy has done that point is what 00:09:00.51000:09:00.520 these horrendous unfettered free trade 00:09:03.27000:09:03.280 agreements have pushed on American 00:09:06.06000:09:06.070 workers that's the Chinese trade 00:09:07.83000:09:07.840 agreement an estimated 2.7 million 00:09:12.69000:09:12.700 American jobs lost then he got the 00:09:15.69000:09:15.700 Korean free trade agreement which has 00:09:18.66000:09:18.670 led to a loss of some 60,000 jobs our 00:09:21.90000:09:21.910 trade deficit with our country has gone 00:09:23.55000:09:23.560 up from sixteen point six billion in 00:09:26.04000:09:26.050 2012 to 25 billion in 2014 so you have a 00:09:32.67000:09:32.680 history here a failed trade agreement 00:09:35.64000:09:35.650 after failed trade agreement after 00:09:37.89000:09:37.900 failed trade agreement and people say 00:09:39.66000:09:39.670 hey we failed we failed we failed let's 00:09:41.94000:09:41.950 do the same thing again and this time 00:09:43.89000:09:43.900 we're really really really going to 00:09:46.02000:09:46.030 succeed I don't think anybody believes 00:09:47.97000:09:47.980 that and I do understand that Wall 00:09:50.79000:09:50.800 Street loves this trade agreement they 00:09:53.04000:09:53.050 are staying up nights worrying about 00:09:54.57000:09:54.580 ordinary Americans and I understand that 00:09:57.96000:09:57.970 the major corporations in this country 00:09:59.82000:09:59.830 all of them love this agreement and the 00:10:03.24000:10:03.250 drug companies love this agreement 00:10:05.28000:10:05.290 which should give you enough reason to 00:10:07.44000:10:07.450 hold this agreement in doubt now mr. 00:10:12.54000:10:12.550 president the administration the Obama 00:10:14.48000:10:14.490 administration says well trust us forget 00:10:18.87000:10:18.880 about the other trade agreements this 00:10:20.94000:10:20.950 TPP is something different it's a better 00:10:22.71000:10:22.720 agreement this time will be different 00:10:24.21000:10:24.220 this time it'll support about 650,000 00:10:27.84000:10:27.850 American jobs 00:10:29.39000:10:29.400 well supporters of unfettered free trade 00:10:33.12000:10:33.130 were wrong about and after they were 00:10:34.77000:10:34.780 wrong about CAFTA they were wrong about 00:10:36.21000:10:36.220 PNTR with China they were wrong about 00:10:37.86000:10:37.870 the Korean free trade agreement and 00:10:41.03000:10:41.040 surprise of all surprises they are wrong 00:10:43.86000:10:43.870 again mr. president if the fast-track is 00:10:50.37000:10:50.380 approved it would pave the way for the 00:10:53.04000:10:53.050 passage of the TPP the trans-pacific 00:10:55.74000:10:55.750 partnership trade agreement and as you 00:10:58.50000:10:58.510 know this trade agreement is poised to 00:11:01.05000:11:01.060 be the largest free trade agreement in 00:11:03.42000:11:03.430 history encompassing 12 nations that 00:11:05.97000:11:05.980 account for roughly 00:11:07.38000:11:07.390 40% of the global economy this is a very 00:11:10.08000:11:10.090 very big deal let me just talk about two 00:11:12.93000:11:12.940 of those countries who are involved in 00:11:16.14000:11:16.150 the TPP and that is Vietnam and Malaysia 00:11:19.88000:11:19.890 it's the president 00:11:22.05000:11:22.060 we are fighting here and I understand 00:11:24.06000:11:24.070 there are differences of opinion 00:11:25.59000:11:25.600 we are fighting here in the United 00:11:27.60000:11:27.610 States Congress to raise the minimum 00:11:28.95000:11:28.960 wage I happen to believe that a seven 00:11:31.83000:11:31.840 dollar and twenty five cent minimum wage 00:11:34.14000:11:34.150 which is what it is federally is a 00:11:36.30000:11:36.310 starvation wage I would like to see it 00:11:38.70000:11:38.710 go over a period of years up to $15 an 00:11:41.28000:11:41.290 hour you may disagree there are others 00:11:43.53000:11:43.540 who disagree but let me tell you what 00:11:45.72000:11:45.730 the minimum wage is in Vietnam the 00:11:49.14000:11:49.150 minimum wage in Vietnam is 56 cents an 00:11:53.10000:11:53.110 hour 56 cents an hour so you have 00:11:59.61000:11:59.620 American workers being forced to compete 00:12:02.52000:12:02.530 against people who make 56 cents an hour 00:12:07.56000:12:07.570 and we have a situation just as one 00:12:12.18000:12:12.190 example of many where the Nike company a 00:12:16.88000:12:16.890 company which produces over three 00:12:19.83000:12:19.840 hundred and sixty-five million pairs of 00:12:22.74000:12:22.750 athletic shoes each year goes all over 00:12:26.46000:12:26.470 the world 00:12:27.09000:12:27.100 three hundred and sixty-five million 00:12:28.74000:12:28.750 pairs of athletic shoes the nominee of 00:12:31.14000:12:31.150 those athletic shoes are manufactured in 00:12:33.39000:12:33.400 the United States of America 50 million 00:12:37.07000:12:37.080 20 million 10 million 1 million 0 on the 00:12:41.91000:12:41.920 other hand they employ three hundred and 00:12:45.66000:12:45.670 thirty thousand workers in Vietnam 00:12:48.53000:12:48.540 mostly young women and while they refuse 00:12:52.26000:12:52.270 to tell us give us the detailed 00:12:54.15000:12:54.160 information our supposition is that most 00:12:56.73000:12:56.740 of those women make very very low wages 00:13:00.36000:13:00.370 and let's be clear about what is going 00:13:04.92000:13:04.930 on according to a November 11 2014 00:13:09.00000:13:09.010 article in the Vietnamese newspaper 00:13:11.88000:13:11.890 Thanh yen news that's the name of the 00:13:15.00000:13:15.010 newspaper this is what it says quote 00:13:17.03000:13:17.040 analysts acknowledge that Viet Nam's 00:13:19.86000:13:19.870 abundance of 00:13:21.31000:13:21.320 labour has played an increasingly 00:13:23.86000:13:23.870 pivotal role in wooing foreign firms 00:13:26.41000:13:26.420 looking to set up overseas manufacturing 00:13:29.11000:13:29.120 operations in a company in a country 00:13:31.57000:13:31.580 with a population of 90 million end of 00:13:34.66000:13:34.670 quote in other words that's what it's 00:13:37.03000:13:37.040 all about wages are very very low in 00:13:41.44000:13:41.450 Vietnam and companies from the United 00:13:44.59000:13:44.600 States or all over the world will go to 00:13:47.62000:13:47.630 that country and allowing the TPP to be 00:13:51.37000:13:51.380 passed will make it easier for 00:13:53.64000:13:53.650 multinational companies to shut down in 00:13:55.87000:13:55.880 America and move to Vietnam and that is 00:13:59.05000:13:59.060 wrong and we talk about free trade it's 00:14:02.89000:14:02.900 important to understand what is involved 00:14:05.14000:14:05.150 who are we competing against are we 00:14:06.94000:14:06.950 competing against Canadian workers whose 00:14:09.37000:14:09.380 standard of living is as high or higher 00:14:11.32000:14:11.330 than ours 00:14:12.34000:14:12.350 are we competing against workers in 00:14:14.44000:14:14.450 Germany whose standard of living may 00:14:15.85000:14:15.860 well be higher than ours no you're 00:14:17.80000:14:17.810 competing against people who are 00:14:20.40000:14:20.410 struggling struggling to stay alive 00:14:23.97000:14:23.980 earning the lowest possible wages that 00:14:28.57000:14:28.580 keep a human being alive last year the 00:14:31.54000:14:31.550 Human Rights Watch published a report on 00:14:34.24000:14:34.250 Vietnam and here are some of the quotes 00:14:35.68000:14:35.690 from that report quote the human rights 00:14:39.04000:14:39.050 situation in Vietnam deteriorated 00:14:41.08000:14:41.090 significantly in 2013 worsening a trend 00:14:45.31000:14:45.320 evident for several years the year was 00:14:47.62000:14:47.630 marked by a severe and intensifying 00:14:49.84000:14:49.850 cracked down on critics including long 00:14:52.60000:14:52.610 prison terms for many peaceful activists 00:14:55.27000:14:55.280 whose quote/unquote crime was calling 00:14:57.70000:14:57.710 for political change in other words in 00:14:59.44000:14:59.450 Vietnam if you speak up you want 00:15:02.74000:15:02.750 political change there is a likelihood 00:15:04.44000:15:04.450 you will end up in jail 00:15:07.66000:15:07.670 Vietnam bans all political parties labor 00:15:11.35000:15:11.360 unions and human rights organizations 00:15:13.60000:15:13.610 independent of the government another 00:15:16.96000:15:16.970 quote the authorities require official 00:15:19.06000:15:19.070 approval for public gatherings and 00:15:20.83000:15:20.840 refused to grant permission for meetings 00:15:23.71000:15:23.720 marches or protests they deem 00:15:25.18000:15:25.190 politically or otherwise acceptable not 00:15:28.45000:15:28.460 my point here to beat up on Vietnam they 00:15:30.55000:15:30.560 are a struggling country they are a poor 00:15:32.11000:15:32.120 country who went through a terrible 00:15:33.82000:15:33.830 terror 00:15:34.38000:15:34.390 war with the united states that caused 00:15:36.27000:15:36.280 them incredible harm but when we look at 00:15:41.79000:15:41.800 a trade agreement when we say to 00:15:43.26000:15:43.270 American workers this is your 00:15:45.81000:15:45.820 competition people who are making 56 00:15:48.84000:15:48.850 cents an hour in some cases people who 00:15:51.24000:15:51.250 can't form an independent trade union 00:15:53.37000:15:53.380 people who politically can't stand up 00:15:55.65000:15:55.660 and speak out for their rights is that 00:15:58.68000:15:58.690 really appropriate and fair to the 00:16:00.93000:16:00.940 American worker I don't think it is I 00:16:02.81000:16:02.820 don't think it is let me say a word not 00:16:07.20000:16:07.210 just on Vietnam but another country in 00:16:09.84000:16:09.850 that consortium of partners in the TPP 00:16:12.78000:16:12.790 and that is the country of Malaysia and 00:16:15.14000:16:15.150 mr. president I would ask unanimous 00:16:17.60000:16:17.610 consent to submit to the congressional 00:16:21.27000:16:21.280 record a New York Times article of 00:16:23.88000:16:23.890 September 17 2014 00:16:26.07000:16:26.080 without objection 00:16:29.34000:16:29.350 mr. president what the New York Times 00:16:30.99000:16:31.000 article talks about is that today there 00:16:38.70000:16:38.710 are nearly a two hundred electronics 00:16:41.16000:16:41.170 factories in Malaysia where high-tech 00:16:44.28000:16:44.290 products from Apple Dell Intel motorola 00:16:47.13000:16:47.140 and texas instruments are manufactured 00:16:49.62000:16:49.630 and brought back into the united states 00:16:51.15000:16:51.160 turns out the mayor Malaysia is a major 00:16:53.82000:16:53.830 Centre for the manufacturing of 00:16:56.24000:16:56.250 electronics and some of the largest 00:16:58.74000:16:58.750 electronics manufacturers in the world 00:17:01.29000:17:01.300 are sentient or have plants in Malaysia 00:17:04.73000:17:04.740 if the TPP is approved that number will 00:17:09.93000:17:09.940 go up substantially now what is wrong 00:17:12.63000:17:12.640 with that well let's talk about what is 00:17:15.75000:17:15.760 going on in Malaysia where American 00:17:19.56000:17:19.570 companies in in this country and 00:17:21.39000:17:21.400 American workers will have to compete as 00:17:23.37000:17:23.380 part of the TPP well it turns out that 00:17:27.48000:17:27.490 many of the workers at the electronics 00:17:29.55000:17:29.560 plants of Malaysia are immigrants to 00:17:33.27000:17:33.280 that country and are forced to work 00:17:36.27000:17:36.280 there under subhuman working conditions 00:17:40.82000:17:40.830 according to Verte which conducted a 00:17:44.76000:17:44.770 two-year investigation into labor abuses 00:17:47.69000:17:47.700 in Malaysia which was commissioned by 00:17:50.48000:17:50.490 the US Department of Labor this report 00:17:54.04900:17:54.059 was commissioned by the US Department of 00:17:56.21000:17:56.220 Labor and this is what this report tells 00:17:59.99000:18:00.000 us 32% of the electronic industries 00:18:07.18000:18:07.190 nearly 200,000 migrant workers in 00:18:10.58000:18:10.590 Malaysia were employed in force 00:18:14.28900:18:14.299 situations because their passports have 00:18:17.45000:18:17.460 been taken away or because they were 00:18:19.70000:18:19.710 straining to pay back illegally high 00:18:21.94000:18:21.950 recruitment fees according to the New 00:18:26.65900:18:26.669 York Times article commenting on the 00:18:28.70000:18:28.710 study 92% of the migrant workers of 00:18:32.38900:18:32.399 Malaysia's electronics industry had paid 00:18:35.18000:18:35.190 recruitment fees and that 92% of that 00:18:38.72000:18:38.730 group had paid fees that exceeded legal 00:18:40.70000:18:40.710 or industry standards defined as more 00:18:44.02900:18:44.039 than one month's wages 94% of the 00:18:47.99000:18:48.000 migrants did not have their passports 00:18:50.44000:18:50.450 when Veritas investigators interviewed 00:18:53.75000:18:53.760 them let me repeat that the passports 00:18:57.32000:18:57.330 were taken away from 94 percent of the 00:19:02.06000:19:02.070 people that these investigators 00:19:04.37000:19:04.380 interviewed now if you are a migrants in 00:19:07.54900:19:07.559 a foreign country and your passport is 00:19:10.87900:19:10.889 taken away you have no rights at all you 00:19:14.62900:19:14.639 can't leave you may not be able to 00:19:17.12000:19:17.130 travel you have no rights at all in 00:19:20.96000:19:20.970 other words many of these workers who 00:19:24.35000:19:24.360 wanted to leave Malaysia were unable to 00:19:27.64900:19:27.659 do though do so they were forced to stay 00:19:31.12900:19:31.139 and continue to work under these 00:19:33.86000:19:33.870 subhuman conditions it's the president 00:19:37.61000:19:37.620 30 percent of foreign workers as again 00:19:39.95000:19:39.960 the report from Veritate commissioned by 00:19:43.07000:19:43.080 the US Department of Labor 30 percent a 00:19:46.61000:19:46.620 foreign workers said they slept in a 00:19:48.37900:19:48.389 room with more than 8 people and 43% 00:19:52.31000:19:52.320 there was no place where they could 00:19:54.79900:19:54.809 safely store their belongings well mr. 00:20:00.35000:20:00.360 president 00:20:01.45000:20:01.460 when we talk about competition and a 00:20:04.85000:20:04.860 competitive global economy I do not 00:20:07.43000:20:07.440 believe that the American worker should 00:20:10.70000:20:10.710 be forced to compete against workers who 00:20:13.39900:20:13.409 are literally held in slave like 00:20:15.95000:20:15.960 conditions unable to leave the country 00:20:18.28900:20:18.299 having their passports taken away 00:20:20.96000:20:20.970 working for pennies an hour so let me 00:20:25.12900:20:25.139 conclude simply by saying this this 00:20:30.86000:20:30.870 trade agreement is being pushed on the 00:20:33.71000:20:33.720 Congress by the largest corporations in 00:20:37.51900:20:37.529 the United States of America they love 00:20:39.68000:20:39.690 unfettered free trade because it enables 00:20:43.46000:20:43.470 them to shut down in America and move to 00:20:47.11900:20:47.129 low-wage countries where they can employ 00:20:49.46000:20:49.470 workers at pennies an hour this trade 00:20:53.84000:20:53.850 agreement is pushed on us by Wall Street 00:20:56.37900:20:56.389 who wants to make sure that around the 00:20:59.50900:20:59.519 world they will have financial 00:21:01.51900:21:01.529 regulations that make it easier for them 00:21:05.18000:21:05.190 to do what they do rather than serve the 00:21:08.33000:21:08.340 economies of countries around the world 00:21:11.49900:21:11.509 this legislation is strongly supported 00:21:14.45000:21:14.460 by the pharmaceutical industry who will 00:21:16.78900:21:16.799 have the opportunity to prevent poor 00:21:19.43000:21:19.440 countries around the world from moving 00:21:22.49000:21:22.500 to generic drugs and make medicine 00:21:25.81000:21:25.820 affordable to the poor people in these 00:21:29.09000:21:29.100 countries so we are all of the 00:21:31.87900:21:31.889 billionaire class all of the powerful 00:21:35.06000:21:35.070 corporate world supporting this trade 00:21:37.75900:21:37.769 agreement who is opposing this trade 00:21:39.16900:21:39.179 agreement well virtually every trade 00:21:42.52900:21:42.539 union in America whose job it is to 00:21:45.37900:21:45.389 stand up for American workers they're in 00:21:48.01900:21:48.029 opposition I was just at a rally with 00:21:49.58000:21:49.590 them the other day they are united they 00:21:52.43000:21:52.440 are in opposition you are many 00:21:55.07000:21:55.080 environmental groups who understand that 00:21:57.47000:21:57.480 this is a bad agreement you have medical 00:22:01.19000:22:01.200 groups who understand this is a bad 00:22:02.99000:22:03.000 agreement for poor people in developing 00:22:05.77900:22:05.789 countries and you have millions of 00:22:08.62900:22:08.639 workers in this country who do not want 00:22:11.75000:22:11.760 to compete they're not afraid of 00:22:12.95000:22:12.960 competition we are 00:22:15.13900:22:15.149 ducked of country they do not want to 00:22:16.75900:22:16.769 compete against people making 56 cents 00:22:19.39900:22:19.409 an hour or against forced labor in 00:22:21.95000:22:21.960 Malaysia that's where we are today where 00:22:25.45900:22:25.469 we are today is that we go forward with 00:22:27.44000:22:27.450 a failed trade policy or do we take a 00:22:30.28900:22:30.299 deep breath and say enough is enough 00:22:32.62900:22:32.639 let us rethink trade policy let us 00:22:35.50900:22:35.519 figure out a way that we can grow the 00:22:38.69000:22:38.700 American economy create decent jobs in 00:22:40.96900:22:40.979 the United States and by the way help 00:22:43.36900:22:43.379 poor people around the world all of us 00:22:45.58900:22:45.599 want to see wages go up in poor 00:22:47.98900:22:47.999 countries around the world but that does 00:22:50.11900:22:50.129 not mean that wages have got to go down 00:22:52.24900:22:52.259 in the United States of America so we 00:22:55.03900:22:55.049 need a trade agreement that works for 00:22:56.93000:22:56.940 our people 00:22:57.79900:22:57.809 works for poor people around the world 00:23:00.00900:23:00.019 but just it's not a trade agreement that 00:23:02.95900:23:02.969 only works for the big-money interests 00:23:05.18000:23:05.190 in the United States so I hope very much 00:23:08.61900:23:08.629 mr. president that the Senate will take 00:23:12.68000:23:12.690 a real hard look at this a trade 00:23:15.79900:23:15.809 agreement take a hard look at what 00:23:17.62900:23:17.639 people have been saying for years about 00:23:19.21900:23:19.229 previous trade agreements and say we're 00:23:22.45900:23:22.469 not going down this failed path anymore 00:23:25.35900:23:25.369 and with that mr. president I would 00:23:27.82900:23:27.839 yield the floor the absence of a quorum 00:23:32.77900:23:32.789 the clerk will call the roll mr. 00:23:35.65900:23:35.669 Alexander
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