Bush victorious as House narrowly approves Central America free trade pact News
Bush victorious as House narrowly approves Central America free trade pact

[JURIST] The US House of Representatives passed the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) [text] early Thursday by a narrow two-vote margin, 217-215 [roll call] after a strong push by President Bush. Senate approval of CAFTA last month 54-45 [roll call] and Bush's insistence that the trade agreement with six Latin American nations would go a long way to help American workers, farmers and small businesses worked to convince the House to pass the measure. The agreement eliminates tariffs and other trade barriers between the United States and Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and the Dominican Republican. Some Democrats and a few Republicans opposed the measure, arguing that the agreement undermines job security for American workers and leaves workers in the six other countries without labor protections. AP has more.

THIS DAY @ LAW

Indian National Congress founded

The Indian National Congress (INC) was founded on December 28, 1885 in Bombay (now Mumbai), India. In subsequent decades, the so-called Congress Party would advocate for Indian independence from the UK, which was eventually achieved in 1947. The first Prime Minister of independent India, Jawaharlal Nehru, was elected as a member of the INC. Learn more about the history and founding of the Indian National Congress.

Congress recognized Pledge of Allegiance

On December 28, 1945, Congress officially recognized the Pledge of Allegiance and encouraged its recitation in schools. The Pledge was supposedly written in 1892 by Francis Bellamy, a Baptist minister, to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Columbus Day. The words “under God” were added by Congress in 1954. The revised version of the Pledge was the subject of litigation before the United States Supreme Court originally brought by Michael Newdow, a parent who unsuccessfully objected to his daughter's school district policy requiring daily recitation of the Pledge. The court ruled that Newdow had no standing.

Nepal ends monarchy, establishes republic

On December 28, 2007, the Kingdom of Nepal's interim parliament ended the country's monarchy and established the Republic of Nepal. Free elections were held on April 10 of the following year to elect a Constituent Assembly.

Learn more about the rise of democracy in Nepal.