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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2013 - 2014
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | December 16, 2013 01:06 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Jesse White |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Resolution Urging President Obama and Congress to Consider the Negative Impacts of Free Trade Policies |
| In the near future I plan to introduce a resolution urging President Obama and Congress to carefully consider the effects on American workers and small businesses when negotiating foreign trade policies. Recently, the Office of the United States Trade Representative announced that President Obama is currently in negotiations for a new international trade agreement, known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). The details of the TPP are highly secretive. Therefore, it is unclear whether this would-be international free trade agreement can benefit the American economy. However, the effects of similar free trade agreements—most notably, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)—have been widely criticized by economists and American workers alike over the last 20 years. According to reports, the TPP negotiations include talks with 11 other Pacific-bordering countries: Australia, Brunei, Chile, Canada, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. Many of these countries are known to have deplorable labor standards. Additionally, corporations—some of which are American-owned—with facilities some of these countries are only required to pay their workers minuscule wages. Furthermore, similar foreign trade agreements, like NAFTA, have historically been attributed to the closure of thousands of American family-owned small businesses and the loss of millions of family-sustaining, American jobs. I am sure we can call agree that it is important to recognize the benefits of having a strong relationship with our international competitors in the global market. Nevertheless, as policy makers, we must first prioritize the American economy by considering our present job crisis and the potential negative impacts that can arise from future free trade agreements like TPP. I encourage you to join me in supporting American workers and small businesses by sponsoring this important resolution. |
Introduced as HR652