By David Espo, Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON -- House Democratic Leader Dick Gephardt is expected to announce later this week he will vote against hotly contested legislation granting permanent normalized trade relations with China, Democratic officials said Monday.
These officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Gephardt, D-Mo., had informed senior White House officials of his decision, and would likely announce it on Wednesday in a speech in his hometown of St. Louis.
Clinton favors the measure, as do members of the Republican leadership in the House.
In opposing the legislation, Gephardt would side with the majority of his own Democratic caucus, as well as virtually the entire House Democratic leadership and the party's traditional allies in organized labor.
A close vote is expected on the legislation when the House votes sometime next month.
Until this year, Congress has reserved the right to make an annual decision on whether to extend liberalized trading rights to the Chinese. The pending legislation would put an end to that practice.
Gephardt is expected to argue the measure is not strong enough to justify surrendering the potential for the United States to influence China's polices on human rights, the environment and other areas.
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