Trade Pact Opposition Found in House : Economy: Democratic leader says up to 75% of party members will vote against agreement with Canada, Mexico. Dole expects support in Senate.

Rep. David E. Bonior (D-Mich.), the third-ranking Democrat in the House, said Sunday that he is adamantly opposed to the free trade agreement with Mexico and Canada and that up to three-fourths of House Democrats share his views.

Bonior said that the North American Free Trade Agreement is a “lousy treaty” that would strip Americans of jobs and not help Mexicans “because of their low-wage society and the corruptness” in their political and social structure.

Bonior, the House majority whip whose responsibilities include counting votes, said that “up to two-thirds to maybe 75% of the Democratic caucus in the House is opposed to this treaty.”

The congressman said there is nothing President Clinton could do to change his mind. “By passing this treaty, all we are doing is institutionalizing the corruption over there and impeding us” in reaching a better treaty in the future, he said on NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday.

Senate Minority Leader Bob Dole (R-Kan.), who like most Republicans supports the treaty negotiated during the George Bush Administration, suggested that the pact first be taken up by the Senate, where opposition is not as great.

“I’d take it up in the Senate first and apply more pressure to the House that way,” Dole said on CNN’s “Newsmaker Sunday.”

“I think we have enough votes if we can furnish 34, 35 Republicans. I certainly think you could get 16 out of 56 Democrats” in the Senate, Dole said.

NAFTA would lower tariffs and remove other trade restrictions among the United States, Mexico and Canada. Clinton came out for the plan during the presidential campaign after promising he would obtain side agreements on protecting jobs and the environment--such agreements were reached earlier this month. Clinton says he wants Congress to pass the treaty by the end of this year.