WASHINGTON -- After months of tough negotiations, Senate and House leaders have agreed on new trade terms for countries in Africa, Central America and the Caribbean, setting the stage for congressional approval in the next few weeks.
Negotiators reached a breakthrough late Thursday, agreeing to provide a measure of protection for U.S. textile manufacturers, though not as much as the industry and its allies in the Senate had sought.Senate negotiators yielded a bit to their House counterparts on that issue, accepting an arrangement on imports of African clothing that would gradually open more markets to African weavers over the next eight years. Senators had earlier pressed for a requirement that clothing made in Africa be fashioned from U.S. fabric and thread.
Participants in the talks said Speaker Dennis Hastert of Illinois and Sen. Trent Lott of Mississippi, the Republican leader, personally intervened late Thursday to revive the discussions. Those close to the talks said that many details remain to be worked out, but that with the backing of Lott and Hastert they can be resolved in time for final passage. That is expected to take place when lawmakers return from their spring recess late this month.
The tentative accord was heartening for President Clinton, who has made legislation extending new trade benefits to Africa, Central America and Caribbean countries a top priority. The White House hopes an accord on countries in those regions will be a prelude to an agreement on a far more contentious issue, normalizing trade relations with China.
Senators from textile-industry states have been fighting the current legislation, as have some unions and environmental groups.
The House originally backed a bill dealing only with several dozen sub-Saharan African nations. Senators favored a bill that covered those countries plus two dozen in the Caribbean and Central America. People familiar with the deal reached Thursday said House negotiators agreed to cover those additional nations.
As a concession to U.S. textile interests, T-shirts made in Caribbean and Central American countries would be subject to some barriers not applied to other clothing.