Last night, the Senate voted 54 to 45 to pass the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), the lowest number of Senators to support a trade agreement in modern history. The Bush administration was able to gain additional votes in the Senate from two CAFTA opponents, Republican Senators Saxby Chambliss of Georgia and Norm Coleman of Minnesota after US Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns agreed to limit sugar imports until 2008 and study the idea of subsidizing the use of sugar to make ethanol. Both of Michigan's Senators voted against the trade agreement.
CAFTA was also moved out of the House of Representatives' Ways and Means Committee yesterday by a 24 to 12 vote. A vote by the full House is required within 15 legislative days.
