The White House
President George W. Bush
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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
July 15, 2005

CAFTA Will Create Jobs and Level the Playing Field for American Workers

Today, President Bush Visited The R. L. Stowe Textile Factory In North Carolina Where He Delivered Remarks In Support Of The Central America And Dominican Republic Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR). After touring the factory, the President called on Congress to pass CAFTA to support American jobs and democracy and security in Central America and the Dominican Republic.

CAFTA Will Benefit American Textile Workers. Increased global trade means that American textile firms need to take advantage of regional opportunities for exports and growth. The National Council of Textile Organizations endorses CAFTA, which will help level the playing field for American firms by eliminating existing duties on American products. This will save jobs and make U.S. exports much more competitive.

CAFTA Will Benefit American Manufacturers. CAFTA will instantly eliminate tariffs on 80 percent of U.S.-manufactured goods, and the remainder of tariffs will be phased out within a few years. As a result, manufacturers and workers will benefit from increased sales of information technology; farm, construction, medical, and scientific equipment; paper products; and pharmaceuticals.

CAFTA Will Benefit American Farmers And Ranchers. As American agricultural productivity increases, our farmers and ranchers rely more and more on exports. Twenty-seven percent of their income currently comes from exports.

CAFTA Will Strengthen The Young Democracies Of The Region, Making America Safer In Our Own Neighborhood. By passing CAFTA, we will help continue the transformation of the Americas into a more peaceful, democratic, and prosperous hemisphere. By bringing economic growth to Central America and the Dominican Republic, CAFTA will boost demand for U.S. goods, reduce poverty, discourage illegal immigration, raise working standards, and deliver hope and opportunity to people who have made the choice for freedom.

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