U.S. Congress passes CAFTA with 2 vote House margin
{{date|July 28, 2005}}

The [[U.S. House of Representatives]] approved the {{w|Central American Free Trade Agreement}} (CAFTA) early morning Thursday, with a narrow vote of 217 in favor, 215 against. Voting was held open for an hour, 45 minutes past the House's 15-minute voting rule as the President along with other supporters lobbied into the night.

The vote was so close, if one House member changed a "Yea" vote to a "Nay" vote, CAFTA would have failed in a 216-216 tie. 

=== Republican vote breakdown ===
In tallying the votes, 25 [[Republican Party (United States)|Republicans]], mostly from {{w|Midwest}} {{w|Corn Belt}} and {{w|Rust Belt}} states and the Southeast [[United States]]'s textile industrial belt, broke party line to vote against the measure. Two Republicans were present, but refused to vote. 

=== Democrat and Independent vote breakdown ===
The [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democrats]] presented a more united front. All but 15 Democrats present voted against the treaty. Independent House members, who usually vote with the Democrats also voted against the measure. 

Supporters of the measure include President [[George W. Bush]], Vice President [[Dick Cheney]], U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman and Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez.  Opponents included most House Democrats.

The trade agreement already passed the [[US Senate|Senate]] in June. President Bush has said he will sign it into law.

=== Provisions ===
DR-CAFTA encompasses the following components:
* Services: all {{w|public services}} are to be open to private investment.
* Investment: governments promise to grant ironclad guarantees to foreign investment.
* Government procurement: All government purchases must be open to transnational bids.
* Market access: governments pledge to reduce and eventually to eliminate tariffs and other measures that {{w|protectionism|protect}} domestic products.
* Agriculture: duty-free import and elimination of subsidies on agricultural products.
* {{w|Intellectual property rights}}: privatization of and monopoly over technological know-how.
* Anti-dumping rules, subsidies and countervailing rights: governments commit to phase out protectionist barriers in all sectors.
* Competition policy: the dismantling of [[w:national monopolies|national monopolies]].
* Dispute resolution: the right of transnationals to sue countries in private international courts.
* Environmental protection: the enforcement of environmental laws and improvement of the environment.
* Labor standards: the enforcement of the [[International Labour Organization]]'s core labor standards.
* Transparency: the reduction of government corruption.
* Test-Data Exclusivity for pharmaceutical corporations

== Related news ==
*{{Wikinews|title=CAFTA faces tough vote in U.S. House |date=July 27, 2005}}

== Sources ==
{{wikipedia|Central American Free Trade Agreement}}
*{{source|url=http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D8BK5OCO0.htm?campaign_id=apn_home_down&chan=db
|title=In Bush win, House narrowly approves CAFTA
|author=Jim Abrams
|pub=Associated Press
|date=July 28, 2005}}
*{{source|url=http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/07/28/house.cafta/
|title=House narrowly approves CAFTA
|author=
|pub=CNN
|date=July 28, 2005}}

== External links ==
*[http://www.ustr.gov/Trade_Agreements/Bilateral/CAFTA/CAFTA-DR_Final_Texts/Section_Index.html  Full text of the Central American Free Trade Agreement]
*[http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=109&session=1&vote=00170 Senate roll call]

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__NOTOC__

[[Category:World]]
[[Category:North America]]
[[Category:Central America]]
[[Category:United States]]
[[Category:Economy and business]]
[[Category:Crime and law]]
[[Category:Politics and conflicts]]
[[Category:Costa Rica]]
[[Category:El Salvador]]
[[Category:Honduras]]
[[Category:Guatemala]]
[[Category:Nicaragua]]
[[Category:Dominican Republic]]
[[Category:George W. Bush]]
[[Category:Dick Cheney]]
[[Category:US Congress]]
[[Category:US Senate]]
[[Category:US House of Representatives]]
[[Category:Republican Party (United States)]]
[[Category:Democratic Party (United States)]]
[[Category:Rob Portman]]
[[Category:Import and export]]

[[de:USA: Repräsentantenhaus stimmt dem Freihandelsabkommen CAFTA zu]]
[[es:El Congreso de EUA aprueba el CAFTA-RD]]
[[pt:Congresso dos EUA aprova a CAFTA]]
The U.S. House of Representatives approved the  (CAFTA) early morning Thursday, with a narrow vote of 217 in favor, 215 against. Voting was held open for an hour, 45 minutes past the House's 15-minute voting rule as the President along with other supporters lobbied into the night.

The vote was so close, if one House member changed a "Yea" vote to a "Nay" vote, CAFTA would have failed in a 216-216 tie. 

Supporters of the measure include President George W. Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, U.S. Trade Representative Rob Portman and Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez.  Opponents included most House Democrats.

The trade agreement already passed the Senate in June. President Bush has said he will sign it into law.

__NOTOC__


de:USA: Repräsentantenhaus stimmt dem Freihandelsabkommen CAFTA zu
es:El Congreso de EUA aprueba el CAFTA-RD
Congresso dos EUA aprova a CAFTA
World North America Central America United States Economy and business Crime and law Politics and conflicts Costa Rica El Salvador Honduras Guatemala Nicaragua Dominican Republic George W. Bush Dick Cheney US Congress US Senate US House of Representatives Republican Party (United States) Democratic Party (United States) Rob Portman Import and export