Explore Candidates and Issues
Tom Tancredo on Trade and Economics
This candidate has withdrawn from the election
Voted NO on implementing CAFTA, Central America Free Trade
Bill HR 3045 ; vote number 2005-443 on Jul 28, 2005
Voted YES on implementing US-Australia Free Trade Agreement
Bill H.R.4759 ; vote number 2004-375 on Jul 14, 2004
Voted NO on implementing US-Singapore free trade agreement
Bill HR 2739 ; vote number 2003-432 on Jul 24, 2003
Voted NO on implementing free trade agreement with Chile
Bill HR 2738 ; vote number 2003-436 on Jul 24, 2003
He was an outspoken opponent of CAFTA, which he said is "more than a just trade agreement about sugar and bananas; it is a thinly disguised immigration accord."
"I believe that free-trade agreements are really managed trade," the congressman tells NRO. He believes that the president lacks the constitutional power to negotiate trade agreements, saying that it is the power of the Congress instead. If he were president, Paul says, "My advice to the Congress would be to simply keep tariffs low on all countries."
Trading Free National Review, August 9, 2007
Rep. Tancredo (R-CO) is a free trade skeptic, largely because of its potential effect on immigration to the United States
"And I absolutely agree that trade is a great idea in many respects. But when you trade with people who are your potential enemy, and they have shown a willingness to use that economic opportunity to actually increase their threats to the United States, I'm not for trading with them at all."
Rep. Tancredo (R-CO) is a free trade skeptic, largely because of its potential effect on immigration to the United States. He was an outspoken opponent of CAFTA, which he said is "more than a just trade agreement about sugar and bananas; it is a thinly disguised immigration accord." He was opposed to the creation of FTAs with Oman, Chile, and Singapore. Tancredo voted in favor of the 2005 House resolution proposing U.S. withdrawal from the WTO, as well as a similar 2000 resolution.
He voted against a minimum wage increase.
H.R. 4297, 5/10/06; H.R. 2, 1/10/07, Vote #118
Voted No on restricting employer interference in union organizing
The Employee Free Choice Act; Bill H R 800 ; vote number 2007-118 on Mar 1, 2007
Voted no to authorize $167 billion over ten years for farm price supports, food aid and rural development. Payments would be made on a countercyclical program, meaning they would increase as prices dropped. Conservation acreage payments would be retained
HR 2646 ; vote number 2001-371 on Oct 5, 2001
He voted against the U.S.-China Trade Relations Act of 2000. He also cosponsored a 2001 resolution, which never passed, to end those normalized trade relations in 2001.
"I remember when we had a debate in the Congress of the United States about Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) with China and I was opposed to it, and I still am."