CAFTA's Passage Will Create Momentum for FTAA - sun-sentinal.com - August 15, 2005

CAFTA's passage will now create tremendous momentum for a new wave of key trade agreements, particularly the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA).

CAFTA Vote Postponed in Nicaragua - AP (Via Herald.com) - August 10, 2005

Nicaragua's congress has postponed CAFTA debate until sometime in September. Congressional leader and leftist Sandinista leader, Rene Nunez, has indicated that lawmakers could not reach an agreement to include the Central American Free Trade Agreement on the legislative agenda before the summer break.

Vote-buying and Arm-twisting - The New American - August 22, 2005 Issue

Though constituents widely opposed CAFTA, the agreement passed Congress through the use of bribery, threats, and deception.

Codex Documentary Transcript Gets Placed in Congressional Record - emediawire.com - August 8, 2005

Filmmaker Kevin P. Miller's anti-CAFTA documentary "We Become Silent" was a factor in the Congressional debate prior to the House vote. Miller's documentary seeks to define the potential effects the Codex Alimentarius Commission would have on vitamin and mineral supplements. Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich (D-OH) entered the transcript of "We Become Silent" into the Congressional Record saying that it will "forever be immortalized as part of the debate on medical freedom of choice." The Codex provision is tied into the CAFTA measure which was signed by President Bush on August 2, 2005.

Rep. Aderholt Defends CAFTA Vote - The Times - Journal - August 5, 2005

Back at home Rep. Aderholt was forced to defend his decision to vote in favor of CAFTA. Aderholt assured his district that an eleventh-hour deal made with the Bush administration will protect Fort Payne's hosiery industry. Some are skeptical about whether the Bush administration will follow through with their deals, or if they will even produce the intended results. (Learn more about these dangerous "free trade" agreements today!)

Rep. Marsha Blackburn on CAFTA Passage - goFayette.com - August 4, 2005

Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) points out in an op-ed that The John Birch Society and labor unions such as the AFL-CIO rarely agree on anything. "On the Central American Free Trade Agreement each group reached wrong conclusions about the same issue and chose to oppose free trade," Blackburn continues. She goes on further to deny that CAFTA will erode national sovereignty, encourage illegal immigration and negatively affect the American economy. (Visit www.stopcafta.com for the real facts on this dangerous "free trade" agreement.)

Bush Signs CAFTA into Law - AP (Via Yahoo!) - August 2, 2005

President Bush signed the Central American Free Trade Agreement into law today. CAFTA passed the House last week in a nail-biting vote of 217-215. (Read the transcript of Bush's remarks prior to the signing of CAFTA.) 

CAFTA Comes at too Great a Cost! - house.gov/paul - August 1, 2005

Just how much will CAFTA cost America? Rep. Ron Paul estimates that after all the bribes and late night arm-twisting CAFTA could cost as much as $50 billion. Read Paul's full article for his view on the unfortunate passage of the Central American Free Trade Agreement.

How NC Congressman's Vote Switch Put CAFTA Over the Top - news-record.com - July 29, 2005

The details on how Robin Hayes (R-N.C.) switched his vote from "No" to "Yes" during the one hour CAFTA vote in the House. (Listen to Robin Hayes defend his CAFTA vote switch on a talk radio show on July 28. Click here, scroll down to the "Interviews" and look for "Congressman Robin Hayes calls in to defend his vote on CAFTA.")

What Gives? Who's Pulling the Strings of Political Leaders and Representatives? - www.STOPtheFTAA.org - July 29, 2005

AFTER A BRUISING BATTLE TO DEFEAT THE CENTRAL AMERICAN FREE TRADE AGREEMENT (CAFTA), THE JOHN BIRCH SOCIETY GEARS UP TO STOP THE FREE TRADE AREA OF THE AMERICAS (FTAA) - Public Affairs Department - July 29, 2005

Appleton, WI July 29, 2005 -- It was a brutal battle on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives. Complete with arm twisting, badgering, and backroom deal making, the final vote landed in favor of the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA). At 12:03 a.m. on Wednesday, July 28, the pro-CAFTA forces pushed through a razor-thin victory of 217-215.

Narrow CAFTA Vote Margin Provides Little Momentum for FTAA - Cox Washington Bureau (via Atlanta Journal-Constitution) - July 29, 2005

On Thursday free trade supporters said the narrow CAFTA victory margin may provide little momentum for reaching their larger goal: a trade zone spanning the Western Hemisphere, known as the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA). According to Larry Birns, director of the Council on Hemispheric Affairs, "The importance of CAFTA all along has been that it would serve as a wind-up to give [the Free Trade Area of the Americas] momentum."

Administration Hopes CAFTA Win Will Move WTO Talks - Washington Post - July 29, 2005

With the passage of the Central American Free Trade Agreement, U.S. trade representatives hope that momentum can be revitalized for global trade negotiations at the World Trade Organization. 

Build on the CAFTA Loss to STOP the FTAA! - www.STOPtheFTAA.org Alert - July 28, 2005

Behind the Scenes at the CAFTA Vote - New York Times - July 28, 2005

The actual winning margin of 217-215 for CAFTA in the House was subject to intense negotiations during the almost one hour required for the vote early this morning. During this time 8-10 Republican representatives, mostly from textile states, jockeyed over who would be allowed to vote "No" and keep the voters happy back home. In the end several were forced to vote "Yes" in order to give CAFTA a winning margin.