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Breaking News from America's Progressive Community... Latest Releases
Making news? The press releases posted here have been provided to NewsCenter by the one of the many progressive organizations we have selected to participate . If you would like more information about this press release, you should contact the organization directly.
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| OCTOBER 30, 1998
7:00 PM FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: United Steelworkers of America Carl Frankel United Steelworkers of America/Pittsburgh, 412-562-2541; or Gary Hubbard of United Steelworkers of America/Washington, 202-778-4384 |
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| USWA Pursues NAFTA Lawsuit Against United States | ||||
| WASHINGTON -
October 30 - The United Steelworkers of America (USWA) today filed its response to the
U.S. government in an Alabama federal court case that constitutionally challenges the
North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). In opposing the U.S. Justice Department's effort to dismiss the case on the basis of legal standing, the union lawyers argue that contrary to the government's contentions, the relief being sought in the lawsuit would redress the injuries being alleged and those injuries are the direct result of NAFTA itself. Among the injuries are the continued loss of jobs and wages. The union also insisted that the question of whether the U.S. Executive and Legislative Branches are free to ignore the constitutionally-required ratification procedure is one for the courts to decide. Today's USWA court papers declared, "This case...is not about a policy question, but about a fundamental issue of constitutional law: May the President and Congress...disregard the 'Treaty Clause' of the Constitution?" The USWA answer is "No." The original lawsuit filed by the USWA and the 'Made in the USA Foundation' in the U.S. District Court of Northern Alabama on July 13, 1998, alleged that NAFTA is a treaty and therefore should be declared null and void because it was not approved by the constitutionally required two-thirds vote of the U.S. Senate. Citing the constitutional history of the 'Treaty Clause,' the USWA argued in today's court filing that the clause was intended to restrain government power on matters affecting its citizens such as NAFTA. "The Constitution expressly provides that the President must receive the consent of two-thirds of the Senate before making a treaty. For that reason, as a matter of constitutional dictate, the U.S. does not speak with 'one voice' on the subject of treaties, but with two -- that of the President and that of the Senate. " The USWA amended the lawsuit to include individuals as voters from Ohio, Maryland and West Virginia on the basis that their voting rights as citizens were diluted by the government's non-compliance with the constitutionally-required two-thirds vote of NAFTA as a treaty. NAFTA was adopted following a U.S. Senate vote of 61-38 (less than the 67 votes required by the Constitution) on Nov. 17, 1993, and a U.S. House of Representatives vote of 234-200 three days later. More than 7,000 workers represented by the USWA at 34 locations have been certified by the U.S. Department of Labor as having lost employment because of the movement of their employers to Mexico or Canada, or have lost jobs because of an increase in imports from these countries. Since NAFTA's adoption in 1993, more than202,000 U.S. workers at 1,724 plants have been certified by the Labor Department for trade adjustment assistance because their jobs have been displaced. The landmark case has been assigned to Judge Robert Propst. ------ Copies of the court filings are available on the USWA's Web site at: www.naftalawsuit.org/ -0- |
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