Scorecard: Americans for Democratic Action 2007 Senate Scorecard

Org. position: Nay

Description:

"Passage of a bill that would implement a NAFTA/CAFTA model trade agreement between the United States and Peru. The agreement would reduce most tariffs and duties currently affecting trade between the two countries, increase protections for intellectual property and would require Peru to take steps to strengthen its labor and environmental-enforcement standards."

(Original scorecard available at: http://www.adaction.org/pages/publications/voting-records.php)

Scorecard: Drum Major Institute 2007 Senate Scorecard

Org. position: Nay

Description:

""Increased international trade can contribute to economic growth, but the way trade rules are formulated in agreements like this means that the benefits of trade are distributed unevenly, ultimately undermining the middle class and aspiring middle class in both the U.S. and the nations it trades with. A central problem is that the Peru trade agreement empowers businesses and investment capital to cross international borders more easily, providing a decisive advantage over working people who are not so internationally mobile and whose rights are not equally well protected in all of the nations covered by the agreement. This imbalance of power creates incentives to move U.S. jobs overseas and puts downward pressure on the wages of American workers as they are placed in more direct competition with poorly-paid, disempowered Peruvian workers. The new provisions on labor rights in this agreement represent a step in the right direction, but are unlikely to make a significant impact on Peru’s poor labor rights practices: while Peru must agree to follow a set of labor rights principles, such as eliminating employment discrimination and forced labor, it is not bound to any specific agreed-upon standards. At the same time, Mexico’s twelve years of experience with NAFTA suggest that the average person in Peru will also see their standard of living decline under this agreement. In the U.S., the experience of NAFTA suggests that more jobs will be lost due to displaced domestic production than will be gained due to export growth. The deal also raises concerns about food safety for middle-class consumers especially because the imports of largely untested Peruvian seafood are expected to increase dramatically.""

(Original scorecard available at: http://www.drummajorinstitute.org/library/report.php?ID=63)

Scorecard: Information Technology Industry Council 2007-2008 Senate Scorecard

Org. position: Aye

Description:

"Legislation that provides for investment in innovation through research and development, and aims to improve the competitiveness of the United States."

(Original scorecard available at http://www.itic.org/clientuploads/scorecards/13307_ITI_VoteGuide_FINAL.pdf

Scorecard: U.S. Chamber of Commerce 2007 Senate Scorecard

Org. position: Aye

Description:

"With strong support from the Chamber, the Senate passed H.R. 3688, the United States-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act by a 77-18 vote in December after approval by the House. This trade agreement brings tangible commercial benefi ts to American workers, farmers, and firms while advancing key U.S. foreign policy interests. The agreement provides a level playing fi eld for American workers and farmers, ensuring that the United States gets liberalized access to the dynamic Peruvian market. Currently, most Peruvian products enter the U.S. market duty free, while American exports face an average tariff of 11 percent for manufactured goods and 16 percent for agricultural goods. This agreement corrects this unfair trade imbalance by eliminating nearly all tariffs on U.S. exports to Peru within a few years. The U.S. International Trade Commission estimates that this agreement will add $1.1 billion to U.S. exports and $2.1 billion to U.S. GDP. The president signed this legislation into law in December"

(Original scorecard available at http://www.uschamber.com/issues/legislators/07htv_senate.htm

Scorecard: Information Technology Industry Council 2007-2008 House Scorecard

Org. position: Aye

Description:

"Legislation to implement the United States-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement."

(Original scorecard available at: http://www.itic.org/clientuploads/scorecards/13307_ITI_VoteGuide_FINAL.pdf)

Scorecard: U.S. Chamber of Commerce 2007 House Scorecard

Org. position: Aye

Description:

"With strong support from the Chamber, the House passed H.R. 3688, the United States-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act by a 285-132 vote in November. This trade agreement brings tangible commercial benefits to American workers, farmers, and firms while advancing key U.S. foreign policy interests. The agreement provides a level playing field for American workers and farmers, ensuring that the United States gets liberalized access to the dynamic Peruvian market. Currently, most Peruvian products enter the U.S. market duty free, while American exports face an average tariff of 11 percent for manufactured goods and 16 percent for agricultural goods. This agreement corrects this unfair trade imbalance by eliminating nearly all tariffs on U.S. exports to Peru within a few years. The U.S. International Trade Commission estimates that this agreement will add $1.1 billion to U.S. exports and $2.1 billion to U.S. GDP."

(Original scorecard available at: http://www.uschamber.com/issues/legislators/07htv_house.htm)