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<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold'>FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold'>March 10, 2010<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold'>CONTACT</span></font></b>: <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>Ed Gilman (Michaud), 202-225-6306<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>Vince Morris (Slaughter), 202-225-9091</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;text-autospace:none'><b><font
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;text-autospace:none'><b><font
size=5 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:20.0pt;font-weight:bold'>Michaud
Leads Positive Discussion with United States Trade Rep. Ron Kirk<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><b><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold'>WASHINGTON,
DC</span></font></b> – Today, Representative Mike Michaud (D-ME), Chairman
of the House Trade Working Group (HTWG), joined with Representative Louise M.
Slaughter (D-NY) and other HTWG members in a bipartisan meeting with United
States Trade Representative Ron Kirk regarding continuation of U.S
participation in talks for a Trans-Pacific Partnership Free Trade Agreement
with Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, New Zealand, Singapore, and
Vietnam. A photo of the meeting is attached.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold'>“The meeting was an encouraging
sign that this Administration is committed to consulting with Congress on their
trade agenda,” said Michaud. “We believe it is critical to
approach these negotiations as an opportunity to redefine and redirect <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">U.S.</st1:country-region></st1:place>
trade policy. We must replace the failed policies of the past with those
that deliver good paying jobs for American workers and a level playing field
for our businesses.”<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>The meeting focused on
the House Trade Working Group’s key issues, which include labor and
environmental standards, food safety and agricultural terms, procurement rules,
democracy clauses, services deregulation, access to medicines, and foreign
investor rights.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><b><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold'>“Our
goal here today was to begin to find a path forward in achieving reform of our
trade policy, and I think our discussion was very positive,” said
Slaughter. “But a lot more is needed than words. If other countries are
going to try and get their foot in the door for expanded trade here than these
nations must respond by opening their markets to the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region
w:st="on">United States</st1:country-region></st1:place>. There must be fair
and reasonable reciprocal access to all markets to bring our trade policy to a
place where workers are not the primary losers.”<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>During the meeting, the
House Trade Working Group also discussed the benefits of the Trade Reform,
Accountability, Development, and Employment Act (TRADE), which now has 133
co-sponsors in the House of Representatives. A summary of the legislation
is below. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><b><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold'>H.R.
3012, the TRADE Act</span></font></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.0pt;text-autospace:none'><font
size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Summary of the
bill:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2;
text-autospace:none'><![if !supportLists]><font size=3 face=Symbol><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<font
size=1 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>
</span></font></span></span></font><![endif]>The bill requires the Government
Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a comprehensive review of the major
trade pacts that comprise the model on which <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region
w:st="on">U.S.</st1:country-region></st1:place> trade agreement have been
based, such as NAFTA, WTO, Jordan, and CAFTA. The GAO must also report on how
the current pacts measure up to the bill’s criteria with respect to what
must and must not be included in trade pacts. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2;
text-autospace:none'><![if !supportLists]><font size=3 face=Symbol><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<font
size=1 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>
</span></font></span></span></font><![endif]>The bill spells out what should be
in trade agreements including standards on: labor, environment, food and
product safety, agriculture, human rights, currency anti-manipulation rules,
national security, procurement, investment<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2;
text-autospace:none'><![if !supportLists]><font size=3 face=Symbol><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<font
size=1 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>
</span></font></span></span></font><![endif]>The bill also lists issues that
should NOT be in trade agreements including: bans on Buy America, bans on
anti-sweatshop rules, new rights for foreign investors to promote off-shoring,
service sector privatization and deregulation requirements, special protections
for pharmaceutical companies that limit affordable access to drugs.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2;
text-autospace:none'><![if !supportLists]><font size=3 face=Symbol><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<font
size=1 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>
</span></font></span></span></font><![endif]>Renegotiation: The bill require
the president to submit renegotiation plans for current trade pacts prior to
negotiating new agreements and prior to congressional consideration of pending agreements.
<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2;
text-autospace:none'><![if !supportLists]><font size=3 face=Symbol><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<font
size=1 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>
</span></font></span></span></font><![endif]>Establishes a Super Committee: The
bill establishes a special congressional super committee chaired by the Ways
and Means and Finance Committee chairs to work with the President on
formulating this plan. The super committee also includes a role for the chairs
and ranking members of other committees whose core jurisdiction is directly
affected by today’s expansive trade pacts. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2;
text-autospace:none'><![if !supportLists]><font size=3 face=Symbol><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Symbol'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>·<font
size=1 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>
</span></font></span></span></font><![endif]>Replacing Fast Track: The bill
lays out criteria for a new mechanism to replace the anti-democratic Fast Track
negotiating process. To obtain agreements that benefit a wider array of
interests, this new process includes Congress setting readiness criteria to
select future negotiating partners; mandatory negotiating objectives based on
the bill’s criteria of what must be and must not be in future trade
pacts; and the requirements that Congress must certify that the objectives were
met, and then vote on an agreement before it can be signed.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'># # #<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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