Baldwin Says Trade Agreements Will Hurt Middle Class

Statement

Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) spoke out against proposed trade agreements with Panama, South Korea, and Colombia, saying that similar agreements have rewarded corporations at the expense of the middle class.

"Trade agreements should be in the best interests of our nation and its people, but sadly this has not been the case with the past free trade agreements," Baldwin said. "Have some of our wealthiest corporations profited from them? Indeed. But the rest of America, especially the middle class, has struggled with job loss, closed factories, and economic and emotional anguish across the country," she said.

A report issued by the Economic Policy Institute reveals that more than 680,000 jobs in the United States (14,500 in Wisconsin) had been lost or displaced due to the rise in the trade deficit with Mexico alone since the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was enacted in 1994.

Speaking to the House of Representatives on Tuesday, Baldwin told her colleagues, "I hear from Wisconsin families every day that are struggling mightily - struggling to pay the mortgage, put food on the table, and send their kids to college, especially during these uncertain economic times. The solution is to put our people back to work and preserve American jobs."

"When done right, trade agreements can help bolster our manufacturing and high-skilled technology industries and create jobs as they increase exports and help our economy recover. Done wrong, trade agreements send these same jobs offshore, leaving Americans out of work. Unfortunately, I believe these trade agreements with South Korea, Panama, and Colombia will exacerbate the U.S. trade deficit and further erode our manufacturing base," she said.

Source