[CTC] Congressman Heck Opposes TPP

[Arthur Stamoulis]

Congratulations to the Washington Fair Trade Coalition and everyone else who contributed to securing Rep. Heck’s opposition to the TPP...


Friday October 21, 2016
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Stan Sorscher, 206.255.4393 <tel:206.255.4393>, StanS at speea.org <mailto:StanS at speea.org>
Gillian Locascio, 206 227 3079, gilian at washingtonfairtrade.org <mailto:gilian at washingtonfairtrade.org>
 
Congressman Heck Opposes TPP
 
Seattle, WA – Today, momentum increased against the Trans-Pacific Partnership, as Congressman Denny Heck announced <https://medium.com/@RepDennyHeck/my-views-on-the-proposed-transpacific-partnership-trade-agreement-tpp-edca62fc9990#.w4ott6vko> he would vote against the TPP, calling it one of the most important decisions of his career.
 
The TPP is a trade pact between 12 countries, comprising 40% of the global economy. The massive deal has drawn ire from environmental, labor, faith, and social justice groups for the impacts it would have on food safety, access to affordable medicine, human trafficking, workers around the world, and efforts to address climate change.
 
“The presidential campaign highlighted deep dissatisfaction with globalization as we’ve managed it,” says Stan Sorscher, President of the Washington Fair Trade Coalition. “We are very pleased that Congressman Heck’s decision opens space for a larger discussion of what a true 21st Century trade policy should look like.”
 
In his statement, Representative Heck explained, “I believe in my policy priorities because I care about people, and analyzing TPP should be a question of how it affects people.” Recent plant closures in Shelton, in his district, left workers largely on their own when their jobs moved offshore. Should our trade policy, he asked, force us to compete with low-cost manufacturing facilities with no/low safety standards, poverty wages, or child workers, facilities that spew out anything they want into the atmosphere or nearby bodies of water?
 
“We have an historic opportunity to rethink our approach to globalization.” says Gillian Locascio, Washington Fair Trade Coalition’s Executive Director. “Across Washington State and the world, community groups are building local solutions to the crises of our time. These voices need to be heard.”
 
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The Washington Fair Trade Coalition is made up of 70 groups from labor, environment, faith, social justice, and public health groups, small farms, and socially responsible businesses that are committed to working for a just global trading system. For quotes or interviews, contact Gillian Locascio, 206.227.3079 <tel:206.227.3079>, Gillian at washingtonfairtrade.org <mailto:Gillian at washingtonfairtrade.org>
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