How The White House And Paul Ryan Are Making Sure Forced Labor Remains Part Of Their Trade Deal

[WillyT]

How The White House And Paul Ryan Are Making Sure Forced Labor Remains Part Of Their Trade Deal
Ryan Grim & Laura Barron-Lopez - HuffPo
Posted: 05/27/2015 12:00 am EDT Updated: 3 hours ago

<snip>

WASHINGTON -- The House of Representatives will quickly get down to unfinished business once it returns from the holiday recess: defending trading partners that engage in slavery.

The House, according to sources familiar with trade deal negotiations, plans to strip Senate language from fast-track legislation that would ban countries that are the worst human-trafficking and forced-labor offenders from being part of big trade deals like the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

The provision will be removed by House Ways and Means Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) through a customs bill that will come to the floor after the fast-track bill, sources familiar with the planning told The Huffington Post.

On the eve of the holiday recess last week, the Senate passed legislation giving President Barack Obama fast-track authority to shepherd trade deals through Congress. The anti-slavery provision was, for the White House and other backers of the deal, an unwelcome rider. While the provision seems like a no-brainer (who supports slavery in 2015?), the White House wants it gone.

If the provision stays, one of the 12 countries in the deal, Malaysia, would be forced out due to its pattern of countenancing what amounts to slavery -- a human rights violation so extreme it calls into question how far civilization has advanced over the past several centuries. Malaysia is designated as a tier 3 nation by the State Department, the worst ranking for a country that fails to take action against human trafficking. For American labor, slavery represents unfair wage competition, as it's impossible for companies to compete with no-cost, forced labor. But for the White House, Malaysia is integral to the deal, not just because of the size of its economy, but because of its control over the Strait of Malacca, a key shipping corridor.

Now it’s up to the House -- specifically Ryan -- to fix it...

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More: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/05/27/house-trade-trafficking_n_7446078.html

[WillyT]

1. Kick !!!

[awoke_in_2003]

2. So how many fast trackers here...

stand with Paul Ryan?

[DirkGently]

3. B-but slavery is the whole POINT!

Existing provisions like the ones being expanded under TPP have led businesses to sue governments to keep wages down and eliminate environmental regulations.

Kicking someone out for a little slavery is not in keeping with the spirit of the TPP.

[hifiguy]

5. It's the tenth-percenters' endgame for

everyone on the planet save themselves and their needed retainers/courtiers. There's no better way to maximize them profits!

[aspirant]

4. This slavery issue

has to be front and center

If Malaysia is included, pro-slavery must be attached to all who vote "Yea"

[WillyT]

6. Most Excellent Post... Thank You !!!

[WillyT]

7. Evening Kick !!!