Speech #1090062818

I have serious concerns over the return of leftist insurgencies in the struggling democratic countries that are a part of CAFTA and the harm that would do to our national security. Finally. I also have concerns about the threat of illegal immigration. Most of the Alabama textile plants that survived the effects of NAFTA did so by establishing relationships with Central American partners who assemble Alabamamade components. This delicate balance would be upset if this relationship were not allowed to continue. ultimately forcing the remaining U.S. textile industry to Asia. CAFTA strengthens this beneficial arrangement by making these current trading arrangements permanent. While I have consistently supported tougher immigration laws. the Congress has resisted approving some of these measures. Also. the Administration has not been as helpful as I would like in trying to solve the border security problem. I am convinced that should CAFTA fail the illegal immigration flow into America would increase. Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez is using his countrys vast oil money to create antiAmerican and antidemocratic upheaval in the countries affected by CAFTA. Should CAFTA fail and Chavez is successful in bringing down these fragile governments. thousands more would flood our borders seeking to escape new leftist regimes. Such an unstable situation would increase many times over our worry of terrorists crossing into the United States. In summary. passage of CAFTA will provide a tremendous economic boost to our critical industrial base. support fledgling democracies in a crucial part of the worid. and help stem the tide of illegal immigration into the U.S. I urge all of my colleagues to support this measure.