Last week the Senate passed the Central American Free Trade Agreement onto the House by a slim margin. The deal, if passed, would slash tariffs and streamline business laws. There has been concerned that the labor laws in some of the Central American countries aren't up to United States standards and the passage of CAFTA would only make life for workers in those counties worse. A contractor hired to conduct studies on the working conditions in those countries is now accusing the Labor Department of covering up its findings. The Labor Rights Fund was originally contracted to study the region for CAFTA and claims that the department blocked releases; ordered reports removed from the contractor’s website and told the organization not to discuss findings with outsiders. The organization says the findings show that labor laws in the region are not sufficient to deter employers from violations. The Bush administration has argued that Central America has made enough progress to open free-trade. The Labor Department says the reports are inaccurate and biased.