SR0138 LRB094 11843 CSA 44200 r

1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The United States of America has always been the
3 world leader in pushing for free trade, which is a hallmark of
4 our capitalistic society; and
 
5     WHEREAS, Free trade only thrives where there is a level
6 playing field of government regulations between trading
7 partners; and
 
8     WHEREAS, Free trade agreements and policies of the United
9 States with other nations have severely affected United States
10 manufacturing industries and the workers the industries
11 employ; and
 
12     WHEREAS, Participation by the United States in
13 international trade organizations may imperil the success of
14 United States manufacturing; and
 
15     WHEREAS, Between January 2000 and November 2004, Illinois
16 lost approximately 143,000 manufacturing jobs; and
 
17     WHEREAS, Manufacturing jobs in the United States have
18 plunged from 19.3 million in 1980 to only about 14.6 million
19 today, in large part because of these types of trade issues;
20 and
 
21     WHEREAS, Foreign nations, such as China, have engaged in a
22 wide range of unfair trading practices, including the
23 manipulation of currency, subsidization of industries, and the
24 dumping of below-cost subsidized products into the United
25 States market; and
 
26     WHEREAS, United States manufacturers cannot compete with
27 foreign companies who pay a fraction of the salaries paid to
28 United States manufacturing employees, provide no health

 

 

SR0138 - 2 - LRB094 11843 CSA 44200 r

1 benefits to their workers, do not have to comply with safety
2 and environmental regulations, pay no pensions, and receive
3 government subsidies; therefore, be it
 
4     RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL
5 ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge the Congress of
6 the United States to place a moratorium on new free trade
7 agreements, to investigate and review current free trade
8 agreements and policies of the United States, to investigate
9 and review participation of the United States with
10 international trade organizations, and to ensure that the
11 agreements, policies, and participation are in the best
12 interests of the citizens of Illinois and the United States;
13 and be it further
 
14     RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution be sent to the
15 President of the United States, the Majority Leader of the
16 United States Senate, the Minority Leader of the Senate, the
17 Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, the
18 Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, and to each
19 member of the Illinois congressional delegation.