109th Congress / House / 1st session / Vote 443
- Question: On Passage
- Bill: H R 3045
- Vote description: Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act
- Vote type: Recorded Vote (Help)
- Result: Passed, 217-215, with 2 not voting.
- Date/time: July 28, 2005, 12:03 a.m. (Late-night vote)
- Republican majority opinion: Yes (Help)
- Democrat majority opinion: No (Help)
Key Vote Analysis
This bill established a free trade zone between the United States, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Gautemala, Honduras and Nicaragua; a separate agreement with the Dominican Republican was also included in the measure.
A Washington Post story said it was "the most fiercely contested trade accord in a decade." Minutes past midnight on July 28, 2005, the measure passed the House by two votes. Critics said that the agreement would lead to American jobs being transferred to Central American countries where environmental and labor standards would not be enforced. Some critics also said the bill would threaten the U.S. sugar industry by allowing cheaper sugar from Central America into the country. Proponents of the bill said it would lead to more economic freedom and prosperity for all of the countries involved.
The White House lobbied hard for the bill, with President Bush making personal appeals to lawmakers. White House staff members used promises of campaign appearances with the president and vice president, along with commitments of support on future projects to sway reluctant fellow Republicans. The Washington Post reported that on the night of the bill’s passage "so many top Bush administration officials were working the Capitol... that Democrats joked that the hallways looked like a Cabinet meeting." The bill was passed by 55-45 vote in the Senate later on July 28, 2005, and President Bush signed it into law on Aug. 2.
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