109th Congress / Senate / 1st session / Vote 170

• Question: On Passage of the Bill
• Bill: S 1307
• Vote description: S. 1307; Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act
• Vote type: 1/2 (Help)
  A simple majority of those present and voting is required for approval or passage.
• Result: Passed, 54-45, with 1 not voting.
• Date/time: June 30, 2005, 9:34 p.m.
• Republican majority opinion: Yes (Help)
  The position of more than 50 percent of voting Republicans. "None" means an equal split between "Yes" and "No."
• Democrat majority opinion: No (Help)
  The position of more than 50 percent of voting Democrats. "None" means an equal split between "Yes" and "No."

Key Vote Analysis

This bill established a free trade zone between the United States, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, 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." 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. The Senate passed the bill by a relatively wide margin -- 54 to 45. The battle was much tougher and much closer in the House, where it passed by two votes. 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 was voted on in the House "so many top Bush administration officials were working the Capitol... that Democrats joked that the hallways looked like a Cabinet meeting." President Bush signed CAFTA into law on Aug. 2.

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Vote totals