In Columbia Speech, Rangel Warns President on Trade

With President Bush's fast-track trade authority set to expire at the end of the week and the Democratic majority on Capitol Hill in talks with the White House, the Democratic chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, Rep. Charles Rangel, reiterated yesterday that he would renew the authority only if the Bush administration changes its tactics.

Fast-track negotiating authority, granted periodically to presidents since the 1970s, allows the White House to negotiate globally and submit negotiated agreements for approval or rejection without the ability for Congress to amend them.

Democrats have long campaigned to put tough labor standards in trade agreements, and Mr. Rangel said he would seek to force the Bush administration to negotiate with nations around the world on terms favorable to Democrats.

"Certainly we would want to give fast-track authority to the president to make certain it doesn't adversely affect our ability to negotiate agreements," M r. Rangel said at a speech at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs. "But it doesn't mean it's going to be given just openly without knowing what they intended to do with it or how we can negotiate this week what our trade policy is going to be."

Mr. Rangel complained that the GOP majority over the past few years has excluded Democrats from policymaking on trade.

"More often than not, the resistance of the administration to allow Democrats to put in basic labor standards, basic environmental standards with developing countries, have caused us to resist supporting much legislation," he said.

A White House spokesman, Tony Fratto, said the U.S. trade representative, Susan Schwab, is negotiating with Mr. Rangel's staff.

"We certainly want to work with the chairman to try to come to agreement to continue to expand trade," Mr. Fratto said.

Because of the deadline, the White House is under pressure to complete outstanding deals with Latin America and South Korea.

However Mr. Rangel and the White House settle their disputes, they appear to concur on one matter.

"You can't have 535 people negotiating a trade agreement," Mr. Rangel said.