With about a week left until a scheduled House vote to lift trade barriers with China, Texas congressmen vary widely in their support of the bill. The treaty, which would reduce duties and barriers to thousands of U.S. products exported to China, has congressional headcounters on both sides of the issue working to woo the undecided or sway those who've made up their mind. The issue has the support of most Republicans and the Clinton administration, as well as business and agriculture groups who see China as a way to boost business and increase exports. Lining up against the bill are labor groups who worry about jobs going to China and groups concerned about China's human rights abuses.
Democrats are mixed.
U.S. Rep. Charles Stenholm, D-Abilene, supports the bill because he opposes unilateral embargoes and believes it will help the nation's farmers. House minority leader Richard Gephardt, D-Mo., opposes the measure. Stenholm said he supports lifting all embargoes, including those imposed on Cuba and China. I do not see any evidence that our doing that has caused the system to change. The Chinese are tearing down trade barriers to make it easier for us to sell to them.