One. the Caribbean Basin area is critical to U.S. foreign policy. economic. and security interests. As the majority leader so eloquently emphasized. those very interests are being placed in jeopardy today by the economic retrenchment and malaise that is engulfing the region. The longer that stagnation continues. the greater will be the threat to the established democratic processes in many countries in the region. the greater will be the retrenchment in U.S. exports to the region. and the large number of illegal immigrants will find their way into the United States. Second. the Ways and Means Committee has modified this legislation so as to minimize the potential job loss and to maximize the potential job gain. to the extent that. in fact. this legislation should be viewed as a Jobscreation program. All of the U.S. products most sensitive to foreign competition have been exempted from the free trade provisions. and the economic activity that will be generated in the region will be directly supplied by U.S. materials and capital equipmentthat is. will create U.S. jobs.
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illegal immigrants