Speech #1030083303

We have a tripartite commission that will have the ability to enforce the laws against pollution. so that now with NAFTA there will be a place to go where there will be leverage to clean up the Rio Grande River and to clean up the air in the border cities in my State like El Paso and other border cities that have been so injured. We will have the ability for the first time. if we pass NAFTA. to enforce the environmental laws and to enforce the labor laws so that we have the best chance that we will ever have to make sure that there is fair labor and that we can begin to clean up the environment on our borders. The other issue that I think is very important is immigration. Estimates are we will have 1.5 million fewer immigrants if we pass NAFTA that are Illegal coming into our country. That is very important. It is very important for all of our America. but especially our border StatesTexas. New Mexico. Arizona. and Californiabecause those border cities have really been burdened with a lot of infrastructure charges created by illegal immigrants. The cost of educating the children of illegal immigrants. hospital costs. because they come across the border and they use the hospital facilities in those areas is high. Health care and infrastructure. highways. sewers. water lines. all of these things must be expanded when illegal immigrants come across our borders. But if we continue to build up trade with our partner to the south. the problems of illegal immigration are going to be reduced. This was reiterated by Leon Garcia Solar. a Mexican economist. who said: "If Mexico cannot buy. your unemployment goes up and your farms go under." He understands that if we are going to have two strong countries together. NAFTA is going to forge that alliance.