
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, November 6, 1993                   TAG: 9311060107
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: A-5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: LON WAGNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

BOUCHER TO OPPOSE NAFTA OUT OF CONCERN FOR JOBS

Rep. Rick Boucher, D-Abingdon, vowed Friday to vote against the North American Free Trade Agreement, which he said would result in a loss of jobs for Southwest Virginia.

After polling dozens of industries in the 9th District, Boucher said, it became obvious he should oppose the proposed trade treaty that would gradually eliminate tariffs among Canada, Mexico and the United States.

"My test in deciding how to vote on NAFTA was simple: Would it create more jobs in my district than would be lost?" Boucher said. "My conclusion is it would not."

The district stretches from Roanoke County through Virginia's coalfields to the Kentucky state line. More than 9,000 apparel jobs are scattered in small "cut-and-sew" factories throughout the district.

Even NAFTA proponents do not dispute that those low-wage, labor-intensive jobs - already pressured by imports from Asia and Caribbean Basin countries - would be threatened under the trade agreement.

"Those are the interests that are truly vulnerable if NAFTA is approved," Boucher said. "Scores of plant managers in my district are opposed to NAFTA."

Boucher's announcement comes almost two weeks after Rep. L.F. Payne, D-Nelson County, announced his support of NAFTA.

Rep. Robert Goodlatte, R-Roanoke, is expected to announce today that he will support NAFTA. He is scheduled to speak to employees at Ingersoll-Rand Co.'s Roanoke plant, according to a company spokeswoman.

Boucher said the United Mine Workers' presence in his district and organized labor's opposition to NAFTA did not influence his position.

"The institutional position of the Chamber of Commerce in support of it and the institutional position of organized labor against it had nothing to do with my decision," he said.

The House of Representatives is scheduled to vote Nov. 17 on NAFTA. The Clinton administration is still thought to be far short of securing the number of votes it needs to see NAFTA approved.

by CNB