Group studies lawmakers' voting on free trade

Traficant is in the minority when it comes to support of trade barriers, a study shows.
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- U.S. Rep. James A. Traficant Jr. supports government intervention with regard to free trade, while U.S. Rep. Phil English generally opposes trade barriers and supports government subsidies to encourage commerce, according to a nonpartisan Washington, D.C., think tank.
The Cato Institute's Center for Trade Policy Studies released a study of the voting record of the 435 House members on 29 free trade issues and the 100 Senators on 15 free trade issues during the 1999-2000 Congressional session.
The analysis shows that most House members oppose trade barriers, but support government trade subsidies on trade. Most Senate members also oppose trade barriers. No votes were recorded in the Senate on subsidies.
Opposing viewpoints: House members whose districts including portions of the Mahoning and Shenango Valleys had different views on the free market. The votes, according to the Cato Institute, for local representatives were:
U Traficant of Poland, D-17th, against trade barriers 11 percent of the time and against government subsidies 40 percent of the time.
U U.S. Rep. Sherrod Brown of Lorain, D-13th, whose district includes western Trumbull County, against trade barriers 33 percent of the time and against government subsidies 50 percent of the time.
UEnglish of Erie, Pa., R-21st, whose district includes Mercer County, against trade barriers 89 percent of the time and against government subsidies 20 percent of the time.
* Former U.S. Rep. Ronald Klink of Murrysville, Pa., D-4th, whose district includes Lawrence County, against trade barriers 44 percent of the time and against government subsidies 25 percent of the time.
In the Senate, George Voinovich, an Ohio Republican, topped the list of free traders. Voinovich voted against trade barriers in all 15 Senate votes.
Ohio's other senator, Mike DeWine, also a Republican, voted against trade barriers 60 percent of the time.
Pennsylvania's two senators, Rick Santorum and Arlen Specter, both Republicans, voted against trade barriers 73 percent and 60 percent of the time, respectively.