Author ORCID Identifier
0009-0001-1234-5087
Abstract
This paper examines how district economic interests shaped congressional voting on the Trade and Development Act of 2000, providing evidence from congressional Voting on H.R.~434. The Act expanded duty-free access for African and Caribbean exports, providing a clear case to study how trade exposure and party alignment influence legislative behaviour. Using roll-call votes and 2000 Census data. The analysis is supported by a probit model linking textile employment, farm activity, racial composition, and party affiliation to support for the bill. The research findings reveal that representatives from textile-heavy districts and Democratic legislators were less likely to vote yes, while districts with more African American residents and stronger farm sectors were more supportive. Median-voter traits had little effect. These results show that local economic pressures and partisan considerations shaped congressional decisions on this trade policy. They did so by influencing how legislators viewed the bill’s impact on their communities.
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Recommended Citation
Msabila, Jean
(2026)
"The Political Economy of Trade: Evidence from Congressional Voting on H.R. 434,"
Critical Letters in Economics & Finance:
Vol. 3:
Iss.
2, Article 2.
doi:https://doi.org/10.21427/1pj0-sy33
Available at:
https://arrow.tudublin.ie/clef/vol3/iss2/2
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21427/1pj0-sy33