MELANCON PLEDGES FIGHT AGAINST CAFTA
Tauzin Lacks Experience In Fighting Bad Trade Deals

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: ELLERY GOULD
985.369.7770
NOVEMBER 10, 2004

Napoleonville, LA - With the sugar industry this week launching a petition against an unfair trade agreement that would threaten thousands of Louisiana jobs, Charlie Melancon, candidate for Congress in Louisiana's 3rd district runoff, again pledged to fight against CAFTA in Congress. "As the former head of the sugar industry representing 27,000 Louisiana jobs, I know what's at risk here. Louisiana may have taken some hard punches with NAFTA, but CAFTA could be a knockout we may never recover from," said Melancon. "I fought against CAFTA during my time heading the American Sugar Cane League, and I will continue that fight in Congress. If NAFTA taught us anything, it's that we need strong voices in Congress to fight unfair trade agreements that threaten competitive and viable industries and put thousands of Louisianians out of work." Top Washington Republicans, including House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, have renewed their push for passage of CAFTA (Houston Chronicle 11/9/04), which unfairly tips the scales of international trade in favor of six countries in Central America. This week, the American Sugar Cane League launched a petition to urge Louisiana's congressional delegation to oppose CAFTA. "When I'm in Congress, no one will need a petition to guarantee my vote against trade deals that are bad for Louisiana's workers," Melancon said. "I am willing to work with any President and any Congress to get things done for Louisiana," said Melancon. "But I will have to stand in opposition to the Washington insiders like Tom DeLay and their reckless support of CAFTA. We cannot turn around this economy by passing unfair trade agreements. "Unlike my opponent who was for it before he was against it, I've always understood that NAFTA was bad for Louisiana. With my experience on the front lines negotiating on behalf of Louisiana's sugar industry, I am the only candidate who can be effective fighting CAFTA in Congress."

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