CAFTA passes

CAFTA passed the house with a narrow vote, drawing praise from corporations but concern regarding environmental impacts.

ByRisa Wechsler

via CSPAN, CAFTA just passed the house, 217-215, with 15 democrats voting in favor, after a vote that started at 11pm eastern that was held open for an extra 50 minutes while Cheney apparently twisted arms on the house floor -- it was a few votes short when the vote was supposed to end. This was predicted in an editorial a few days ago by OH Rep. Sherrod Brown. Passage of this bill is good news for DeLay, Big Pharm, and Walmart. Probably not so much for the rest of us. Here's just one reason CAFTA is a bad bill for the environment: it will enable corporations to sue governments over future lost profits if local environmental laws inhibit their activities. More here and here.

Risa Wechsler
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CAFTA passes

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