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

DATE: SUNDAY, November 7, 1993                   TAG: 9311070169
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: ADRIENNE PETTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

GOODLATTE, CITING JOBS, WILL BACK NAFTA

Rep. Robert Goodlatte, R-Roanoke, pledged Saturday to vote for the North American Free Trade Agreement, which he said would result in an increase and enhancement of jobs available to Southwest Virginians.

After weighing both sides of the issue and consulting industries in the 6th District, Goodlatte said, it became obvious he should support the proposed trade treaty, which would eliminate tariffs among Canada, Mexico and the United States.

"NAFTA will level the playing field for U.S. companies who are currently at a disadvantage because of Mexican tariffs and quotas," Goodlatte said. "NAFTA goes a long way toward doing that."

The district, which Goodlatte said is the top exporting district in Virginia, includes large producers of agricultural, forest and transportation products. He noted that Ingersoll-Rand Co. exports 10 percent of its products to Mexico.

"Right now, Mexican tariffs on American goods flowing south of the border are on average 2 1/2 times higher than on Mexican goods flowing north," Goodlatte said. "NAFTA would tear down these barriers and allow U.S.-made goods equal access to the growing Mexican market."

Goodlatte's announcement comes almost two weeks after Rep. L.F. Payne, D-Nelson County, announced his support of NAFTA and one day after Rep. Rick Boucher, D-Abingdon, announced his opposition to the treaty.

The House of Representatives is scheduled to vote Nov. 17 on NAFTA.

"I think it will be a close vote," Goodlatte said. "But there are still a fair number of people undecided."

by CNB