Here's the timeline on the bill:
http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d107:HR03009:@@@X
Edwards voted NO on every vote regarding this bill in the last few days before it passes
8/1/2002: Conference report considered in Senate. (consideration: CR S7768-7793, S7814-7815)
8/1/2002: Cloture on the conference report to accompany H.R. 3009 invoked in Senate by Yea-Nay. 64 - 32. Record Vote Number: 203.
8/1/2002: Point of order under the CBA raised in Senate with respect to the conference report to accompany H.R. 3009.
8/1/2002: Motion to waive the Budget Act with respect to the conference report to accompany H.R. 3009 agreed in Senate by Yea-Nay Vote. 67 - 31. Record Vote Number: 206.
8/1/2002: Senate agreed to conference report by Yea-Nay Vote. 64 - 34. Record Vote Number: 207.
...
8/6/2002: Signed by President.
8/6/2002: Became Public Law No: 107-210.
August 1, 2002 is the day they voted on the version of the bill that came out of conferrence, and the conference report.
It looks like Edwards approved of the bill until it came out of committee without the things he voted to include (see the press release).
He voted against this bill in the end, just like the NY Times said.
"{Edwards} did approve China's entry into the World Trade Organization, which opened one of the world's biggest markets to American industry. And he voted initially to give the president authority to negotiate trade agreements as long they contained certain labor provisions. But when those protections were stripped out of the bill, Mr. Edwards voted against final passage, while Mr. Kerry voted for it.
"Mr. Edwards also voted against smaller trade deals for African and Caribbean nations, while Mr. Kerry supported them. Even though these agreements opened up the American market to some of the poorest nations, Mr. Edwards said they would have hurt the textile mills and workers in his home state, North Carolina. The only free trade accord he supported was with Jordan, which has labor standards in the pact.
"Mr. Edwards insists that protection for labor and environmental standards must be part of the texts of trade agreements because that is the only way to enforce them. Mr. Kerry says they can be accommodated in side agreements. This is probably their central dispute.
"Mr. Kerry has voted for all trade agreements since the cold war ended and opened the way for increasing globalization. But on the presidential trail, he has become a skeptic and now promises to review them."
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/02/20/politics/campaign/20ISSU.htmlEdwards voted for an earlier version of the bill in May, after which he issued this press release:
SENATE APPROVES TRADE BILL WITH EDWARDS AMENDMENTS
May 23, 2002
WASHINGTON–The Senate on Thursday voted 66 to 30 for strong new protections for workers and communities hurt by unfair trade practices as part of a trade bill that directs U.S. negotiators on textile and apparel agreements to level the playing field with other countries.
"We have made real progress toward helping workers and revitalizing North Carolina communities," Senator Edwards said. "I will continue to fight for people like the ones I grew up with in North Carolina."
The measure included provisions by Senator Edwards to defend North Carolina's textile industry from unfair trade practices and help displaced workers and their communities recover from layoffs and plant closings. Part of an Economic Revitalization Plan that Senator Edwards unveiled last month in North Carolina, his provisions in the legislation would:
Extend trade adjustment assistance for six additional months for displaced workers so they could afford to support their families while completing retraining programs.
Provide emergency grants for community that serve areas affected by plant shutdowns to retrain workers.
Instruct U.S. trade negotiators to seek fairer trade conditions for textiles and apparel.
Senator Edwards also cosponsored amendments added to the final Senate bill that would extend trade adjustment assistance to so-called secondary workers at companies that are direct suppliers of closed plants, and make it easier for communities to apply for trade assistance.
Senator Edwards vowed to continue to fight for his proposals to offer tax incentives to revitalize communities affected by textile plant shutdowns, and to eliminate bureaucratic red tape for laid off textile workers seeking retraining and other benefits.
He was disappointed that the legislation did not include help for displaced workers struggling to make home mortgage payments. Vice President Dick Cheney on Tuesday cast a deciding vote to kill an amendment by Senators George Allen and Edwards that would have offered low-interest home loans to displaced workers hunting for new jobs.
The final Senate version of the legislation also failed to include amendments filed by Senator Edwards on behalf of Senator Jesse Helms that would have required labels indicating furniture's country of origin and penalized nations that skirt trade agreements by funneling textiles to the United States through third countries.
http://edwards.senate.gov/press/2002/0523b-pr.html