<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div class=""><i class="">A wide initial collection of statements on today’s </i><a href="http://www.npr.org/assets/news/2017/01/TPPwithdrawal.pdf" class=""><i class="">TPP withdrawal order.</i></a><i class=""> More to follow...</i></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><table id="itemcontentlist" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Georgia, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr xmlns="" class=""><td style="margin-bottom: 0px; line-height: 1.4em;" class=""><p style="margin: 1em 0px 3px;" class=""><a name="1" href="http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/eyesontrade/~3/XGDik9_iYAk/president-trumps-executive-orders-formally-bury-tpps-corpse-but-what-about-ttip-tisa-china-bit.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;" class="">President Trump’s Executive Orders Formally Bury TPP’s Corpse, but What About TTIP, TISA, China BIT?</a></p><p style="color: rgb(85, 85, 85); margin: 9px 0px 3px;" class="">Posted: 23 Jan 2017 09:12 AM PST</p><div style="margin: 0px;" class=""><div xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" class=""><p class=""><strong class="">President Trump’s Executive Orders Formally Bury TPP’s Corpse, but What About TTIP, TISA, China BIT?</strong></p><p class=""><strong class=""><em class=""><u class="">Statement of Lori Wallach, Director, Public Citizen’s Global Trade Watch</u></em></strong></p><p class="">Formally withdrawing from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) will bury the moldering corpse of a deal that couldn’t gain majority support in Congress, but the question is going forward will President Trump’s new trade policies create American jobs and reduce our damaging trade deficit while raising wages and protecting the environment and public health not just here but also in trade partner nations?</p><p class="">If President Trump intends to replace our failed trade policy, a first step must be to end negotiations now underway for more deals based on the damaging NAFTA/TPP model so its notable that today’s announcement did not end talks to establish the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, the Trade in Services Agreement and the U.S.-China Bilateral Investment Treaty – all of which would replicate and expand the TPP/NAFTA model Trump says he is ending.</p><p class="">President Trump also repeatedly has said he would launch NAFTA renegotiations immediately and withdraw from NAFTA if he cannot make it “a lot better” for working people. NAFTA renegotiation could be an opportunity to create a new trade model that benefits more people, but if done wrong, it could increase job offshoring, push down wages and expand the protections NAFTA provides to the corporate interests that shaped the original deal.</p><p class="">Even with the Fast Track authority Trump inherits, to pass a NAFTA replacement he must ensure its terms enjoy support from most congressional Democrats and a subset of Republicans. Most congressional Republicans and many people Trump has named to senior positions passionately support the very agreements Trump opposes. Most congressional Democrats have opposed deals like TPP and NAFTA and for decades promoted alternatives that expand trade without undermining American jobs and wages, access to affordable medicine, food safety or environmental protections.</p><p class="">NAFTA is packed with incentives for job offshoring and protections for the corporate interests that helped to shape it, so to make NAFTA better for people and the planet will require it to be replaced, not tweaked. To remedy – not worsen – NAFTA’s damage, both the old negotiating process and the contents must be replaced. To put the needs of working people, their communities, the environment and public health over the demands of the special interests that have dominated U.S. trade policymaking, the 500 official U.S. trade advisers representing corporate interests who called the shots on past agreements must be benched.</p><p class="">If corporate elites are allowed to dictate how NAFTA is renegotiated, the deal could become even more damaging to working people and the environment in the three countries. Absent high labor and environmental standards, requirements for more North American content in products could increase U.S. job offshoring. The corporate interests that have rigged past trade deals say NAFTA renegotiation is how they will revive the special protections they achieved in the TPP, for instance limits on competition from generic drugs so pharmaceutical firms can keep medicine prices high. (See<strong class=""> Citizens Trade Campaign’s Jan. 13 </strong><a href="http://www.citizenstrade.org/ctc/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/CTC-PEOTUS-Trade-Letter-011317.pdf" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;" class="">letter to Trump</a><strong class=""> and U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro’s Jan. 3 </strong><a href="https://delauro.house.gov/sites/delauro.house.gov/files/Trump-NAFTA-Letter-1-3-17.pdf" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;" class="">letter to Trump</a><strong class=""> on what must be in a NAFTA replacement for it to provide broad benefits.) </strong></p></div><div class="feedflare"><a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/eyesontrade?a=XGDik9_iYAk:e0jgbKw_ad0:yIl2AUoC8zA" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;" class=""><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/eyesontrade?d=yIl2AUoC8zA" border="0" style="border: none;" class=""></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/eyesontrade?a=XGDik9_iYAk:e0jgbKw_ad0:JUhcmGiK9AQ" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;" class=""><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/eyesontrade?d=JUhcmGiK9AQ" border="0" style="border: none;" class=""></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/eyesontrade?a=XGDik9_iYAk:e0jgbKw_ad0:F7zBnMyn0Lo" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;" class=""><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/eyesontrade?i=XGDik9_iYAk:e0jgbKw_ad0:F7zBnMyn0Lo" border="0" style="border: none;" class=""></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/eyesontrade?a=XGDik9_iYAk:e0jgbKw_ad0:V_sGLiPBpWU" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;" class=""><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/eyesontrade?i=XGDik9_iYAk:e0jgbKw_ad0:V_sGLiPBpWU" border="0" style="border: none;" class=""></a> <a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/eyesontrade?a=XGDik9_iYAk:e0jgbKw_ad0:qj6IDK7rITs" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153); font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;" class=""><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/eyesontrade?d=qj6IDK7rITs" border="0" style="border: none;" class=""></a></div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><div class=""><br class=""></div></div><div class=""><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><a href="http://content.sierraclub.org/press-releases/2017/01/sierra-club-statement-trumps-withdrawal-tpp" style="color: rgb(149, 79, 114);" class="">http://content.sierraclub.org/press-releases/2017/01/sierra-club-statement-trumps-withdrawal-tpp</a><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 24pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">Sierra Club Statement on Trump's Withdrawal from the TPP<o:p class=""></o:p></span></b></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">Monday, January 23, 2017<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">Contact: <o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">Dan Byrnes, <a href="mailto:daniel.byrnes@sierraclub.org" style="color: rgb(149, 79, 114);" class="">daniel.byrnes@sierraclub.org</a> or (202) 495-3039<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">WASHINGTON, D.C.</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""> -- Today, as one of his first executive orders as President, Donald Trump formally withdrew from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""> <o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class=""><b class=""><i class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">In response, Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune released the following statement:</span></i></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""> <o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">"Of course President Trump is giving himself credit for withdrawing from the defunct TPP, but the truth is that the deal was beaten by years of organizing from a broad, international coalition and millions of Americans who rejected corporate trade and fought against its threats to our families and our climate. <o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""> <o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">“The real question is, what comes next? Will Trump’s trade policy, including any renegotiation of NAFTA, benefit the billionaire class or working people, healthy communities, clean air and water, and a more stable climate? Will Trump halt all current negotiations of corporate trade deals? Given that Trump is working to stack his cabinet full of billionaire supporters of status-quo trade deals who believe that climate change is a hoax, there is reason to be more than skeptical.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""> <o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">“The era of corporate trade is ending, and it is up to us to create a new approach to trade that supports rather than undermines action on climate change, workers’ rights, and the health of communities. The Sierra Club will continue to work with our partners and mobilize our grassroots to advance a new vision for trade policy that will protect both people and the planet."</span></div></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: center; background-color: white;"><b class=""><span style="font-size: 16pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(146, 208, 80);" class="">OXFAM REACTION TO US WITHDRAWAL FROM TPP</span></b></p><div style="background-color: white;" class=""><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class="">In reaction to President Donald Trump’s executive order to withdraw the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) today, Oxfam America’s president, Raymond C. Offenheiser, made the following statement:</span></p><div class=""><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class="">“</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class="">The TPP was already doomed thanks to efforts by millions of Americans who demanded their Members of Congress oppose the trade deal last year. It is long overdue that political leaders take heed of the many voices in the US and in other countries against bad trade deals like the TPP.</span></p><div style="text-align: justify;" class=""><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class="">“This moment is an opportunity to rethink what the US wants from trade agreements. Trade agreements of the past have not delivered on improved livelihoods and economic security, but they did put the interests of foreign investors and corporate profits at the forefront</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class="">. The winners and losers from free trade agreements, like the TPP, are</span><span style="font-size: 10pt;" class=""> </span><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/at-what-cost-trade/2015/05/20/e9c9531c-ff1a-11e4-805c-c3f407e5a9e9_story.html" target="_BLANK" class=""><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: windowtext; text-decoration: none;" class="">divided not along national lines, but rather along economic lines</span></a><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class="">. Any future trade agreement must address growing inequality here and around the world.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class="">“There is reason to be skeptical that a cabinet of millionaires and billionaires with strong corporate ties will chart a new course for trade deals that does not further entrench the interests of the richest, both here and worldwide.</span></p><div class=""><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class="">“As a global organization working to right the wrongs of poverty and injustice, we at Oxfam have always held that trade can be an engine for poverty reduction and shared prosperity, but only if the rules of trade enable working families and people living in poverty to benefit.</span></p><div class=""><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class="">“Future trade agreements must put people before profits. That means prioritizing economic security and opportunity for working people, limiting pharmaceutical industry monopoly power that restricts access to affordable medicines and excluding investment rules that privilege the interests of foreign investors over the rights of local communities. Only then can trade help to build a human economy that benefits the 99 percent rather than serving the interests of a privileged few.” </span></p><div style="text-align: justify;" class=""><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class=""> </span><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: center;"><i class=""><span style="font-size: 8pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class="">Oxfam is a global movement of people working together to end the injustice of poverty. With 70 years of experience in more than 90 countries, Oxfam takes on the big issues that keep people poor: inequality, discrimination, and unequal access to resources including food, water, and land. We help people save lives in disasters, build stronger futures for themselves, and hold the powerful accountable.</span></i></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align: center; background-color: white;"><i class=""><span style="font-size: 8pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class="">Join us. </span></i><i class=""><span style="font-size: 8pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class=""><a href="http://www.oxfamamerica.org" target="_BLANK" class="">www.oxfamamerica.org</a></span></i></p></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><div class="WordSection1" style="page: WordSection1;"><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);" class=""><a href="https://teamster.org/news/2017/01/hoffa-withdrawal-tpp-right-choice-us-trade-policy" style="color: purple;" class="">https://teamster.org/news/2017/01/hoffa-withdrawal-tpp-right-choice-us-trade-policy</a><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 13.5pt; background-color: rgb(250, 250, 250); vertical-align: baseline;" class=""><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(64, 64, 64);" class="">Trump Administration Signals New Approach to Trade Policy<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 3pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18pt; background-color: rgb(250, 250, 250); vertical-align: baseline; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);" class="">(WASHINGTON) – The following is a statement from Teamsters General President James P. Hoffa on President Donald Trump signing an executive order to formally withdraw the United States from the Trans Pacific Partnership. <o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 3pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18pt; background-color: rgb(250, 250, 250); vertical-align: baseline; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><b class=""><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);" class="">“Today, President Trump made good on his campaign promise to withdraw the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership. With this decision, the president has taken the first step toward fixing 30 years of bad trade policies that have cost working Americans millions of good-paying jobs.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 3pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18pt; background-color: rgb(250, 250, 250); vertical-align: baseline; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><b class=""><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);" class="">“The Teamsters Union has been on the frontline of the fight to stop destructive trade deals like the TPP, China PNTR, CAFTA and NAFTA for decades. Millions of working men and women saw their jobs leave the country as free trade policies undermined our manufacturing industry. We hope that President Trump’s meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto on Jan. 31 opens a real dialogue about fixing the flawed NAFTA.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 3pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18pt; background-color: rgb(250, 250, 250); vertical-align: baseline; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;"><b class=""><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);" class="">“We take this development as a positive sign that President Trump will continue to fulfill his campaign promises in regard to trade policy reform and instruct the USTR to negotiate future agreements that protect American workers and industry.”<o:p class=""></o:p></span></b></p><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18pt; background-color: rgb(250, 250, 250); vertical-align: baseline;" class=""><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(102, 102, 102);" class="">Founded in 1903, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. Visit <a href="http://www.teamster.org/" style="color: purple;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(95, 132, 189); text-decoration: none;" class="">www.teamster.org</span></a> for more information. Follow us on Twitter @Teamsters and “like” us on Facebook at <a href="http://www.facebook.com/teamsters" style="color: purple;" class=""><span style="color: rgb(95, 132, 189); text-decoration: none;" class="">www.facebook.com/teamsters</span></a>.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);" class=""> </span></div><div class=""><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);" class=""><br class=""></span></div></div></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: center;" class=""><b class="">NFU Statement on U.S. Withdrawal from Trans-Pacific Partnership</b><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""> <o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class="">WASHINGTON (January 23, 2017) – A staunch opponent of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement, National Farmers Union (NFU) applauded the Trump Administration’s decision to withdraw the U.S. from the deeply flawed TPP trade agreement. NFU President Roger Johnson released the following statement in response:</span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""> </span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><i class=""><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class="">“The Trans-Pacific Partnership was a continuance of our nation’s deeply flawed trade agenda, and we’re pleased that the Trump Administration has decided to formally withdraw the U.S. from the pact to prioritize a fair trade agenda.</span></i><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><i class=""><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""> </span></i><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><i class=""><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class="">“For too long, our nation’s trade negotiators have prioritized a free trade over </span></i><i class=""><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: rgb(31, 73, 125);" class="">a </span></i><i class=""><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class="">fair trade agenda, leading to a massive $531 billion trade deficit, lost jobs and lowered wages in rural communities across America. It’s time our country refocuses the trade agenda to prioritize balanced trade, U.S. sovereignty, and U.S. family farmers, ranchers and rural communities. The Trump Administration should look to do so with a level of tact that does not motivate our trade partners to take retaliatory actions or threaten the integrity of positive trade markets that American agriculture relies upon.</span></i><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><i class=""><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""> </span></i><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><i class=""><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class="">“NFU looks forward to working with the new administration and Congress to promote fair trade solutions that work for family farmers and ranchers and the U.S. economy.”</span></i><o:p class=""></o:p></div><p align="center" style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: center;" class=""><i class="">National Farmers Union has been working since 1902 to protect and enhance the economic well-being and quality of life for family farmers, ranchers and rural communities through advocating grassroots-driven policy positions adopted by its membership.</i><o:p class=""></o:p></p><p align="center" style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; text-align: center;" class="">-30-</p><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><a href="https://www.nrdc.org/experts/jake-schmidt/trade-agreements-must-put-environmental-safeguards-first" class="">https://www.nrdc.org/experts/jake-schmidt/trade-agreements-must-put-environmental-safeguards-first</a></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><header class="post-header" style="box-sizing: inherit; position: relative; font-family: 'Helveticaneueltstd roman', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><h1 style="box-sizing: inherit; font-size: 2.875rem; color: rgb(16, 35, 69); font-family: 'Knockout 31 A', 'Knockout 31 B', sans-serif; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1em; margin: 20px 0px;" class="">Trade Agreements Must Put Environmental Safeguards First</h1><div class="list-reset byline" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px 0px 30px; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(225, 225, 225);"><span class="author-date byline-text" style="box-sizing: inherit; display: inline-block; border-right-width: 1px; border-right-style: solid; border-right-color: rgb(225, 225, 225); padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px; font-family: 'Knockout 32 A', 'Knockout 32 B', sans-serif; font-size: 0.9375rem; color: rgb(153, 153, 153);">January 23, 2017</span> <span class="author-name byline-text" style="box-sizing: inherit; display: inline-block; border-right-style: none; padding: 6px 10px; font-family: 'Knockout 32 A', 'Knockout 32 B', sans-serif; font-size: 0.9375rem; color: rgb(153, 153, 153);"><span class="bio-wrap" style="box-sizing: inherit; display: inline-block; border-right-style: none; padding: 6px 10px 6px 0px;"><a href="https://www.nrdc.org/experts/jake-schmidt" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(153, 153, 153); -webkit-transition: all 0.5s ease; transition: all 0.5s ease; text-decoration: none; display: inline-block; font-size: 0.9375rem;" class="">Jake Schmidt</a></span></span></div></header><div class="post-content page-node-wrap" style="box-sizing: inherit; max-width: 1024px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding: 0px; font-family: 'Helveticaneueltstd roman', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;"><div class="l-content-full-wrap" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><span class="body-content" style="box-sizing: inherit;"><p style="box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); line-height: 1.875em; margin: 0px 0px 40px;" class="">President Trump announced that he will formally withdraw the U.S. from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). He has also said that that he will attempt to renegotiate the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The real test on trade for President Trump is whether he secures trade agreements that put the environment, working families, and healthy communities first. We see no signs as of yet that Trump wants trade agreements that protect Americans from climate damages and ensure that our citizens are protected from environmental destruction.</p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); line-height: 1.875em; margin: 0px 0px 40px;" class="">The U.S. and eleven other countries finalized TPP last year. TPP would have been the biggest trade agreement in recent history. It would cover countries accounting for over forty percent of the world’s trade and economic output. The U.S. is a signatory to TPP, but the bill to enshrine it into law was going nowhere as a large number of Democrats were opposed to bill given the strong opposition from environmental, labor, faith-based, and other public interest groups. <a href="https://www.nrdc.org/media/2015/151105-0" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 143, 189); transition: all 0.5s ease; -webkit-transition: all 0.5s ease; text-decoration: none;" class="">NRDC joined with these groups to oppose TPP</a> as the final agreement “would allow foreign corporations to challenge our health, safety and environmental protections in a foreign tribunal outside our legal system, and it would weaken those bedrock safeguards in the United States”.</p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); line-height: 1.875em; margin: 0px 0px 40px;" class="">The TPP and other pending trade agreements at the time <a href="https://www.nrdc.org/experts/jake-schmidt/why-we-have-grave-environmental-concerns-about-fast-track-trade-authority" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 143, 189); transition: all 0.5s ease; -webkit-transition: all 0.5s ease; text-decoration: none;" class="">failed to address key concerns</a>around climate change, protection of our bedrock environmental safeguards, food safety, chemical protections, and other environmental challenges.</p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); line-height: 1.875em; margin: 0px 0px 40px;" class="">President Trump has also publicly said that he intends to renegotiate NAFTA. We see no signs that he will ensure that companies don’t have the ability to challenge our environmental and public health protections through secret courts. NAFTA, like TPP, includes a provision called “investor-state dispute settlement”. This provision allows companies the right to challenge our environmental laws in a special trade tribunal outside the U.S. court system. When a corporation feels that its investments have been impacted by the introduction of a new law or policy, this mechanism allows foreign firms to bypass domestic court systems and sue governments for financial compensation. A number of environmental protections have been <a href="https://www.sierraclub.org/sites/www.sierraclub.org/files/uploads-wysiwig/Investor-State-Climate-FINAL.pdf" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 143, 189); transition: all 0.5s ease; -webkit-transition: all 0.5s ease; text-decoration: none;" class="">threatened by this provision</a>. And a leading labor group <a href="http://www.aflcio.org/Press-Room/Press-Releases/AFL-CIO-Releases-Blueprint-on-Rewriting-NAFTA-to-Benefit-Working-People" style="box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(0, 143, 189); transition: all 0.5s ease; -webkit-transition: all 0.5s ease; text-decoration: none;" class="">has outlined</a> that the labor and environmental provisions of NAFTA are weak and poorly enforced.</p><p style="box-sizing: inherit; color: rgb(102, 102, 102); line-height: 1.875em; margin: 0px 0px 40px;" class="">Protecting the environment and public health must be at the center of any renegotiated trade agreements. We see no signs as of yet that these provisions will be at the center of his trade priorities.</p></span></div></div></div><div class=""><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2017/01/does-trumps-withdrawal-tpp-signal-new-approach-trade-agreements" style="color: rgb(149, 79, 114);" class="">https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2017/01/does-trumps-withdrawal-tpp-signal-new-approach-trade-agreements</a><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class="">January 23, 2017 | By <a href="https://www.eff.org/about/staff/jeremy-malcolm" style="color: rgb(149, 79, 114);" class="">Jeremy Malcolm</a><o:p class=""></o:p></div><h2 style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 18pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">Does Trump's Withdrawal From TPP Signal a New Approach to Trade Agreements?<o:p class=""></o:p></h2><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">Today, President Trump <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/23/politics/trans-pacific-partnership-trade-deal-withdrawal-trumps-first-executive-action-monday-sources-say/index.html" style="color: rgb(149, 79, 114);" class="">signed an executive order</a> fulfilling his campaign promise to withdraw the signature of the United States from the <a href="https://www.eff.org/issues/tpp" style="color: rgb(149, 79, 114);" class="">Trans-Pacific Partnership</a> agreement (TPP). Although EFF was a strong opponent of the TPP, President Trump's reasons for withdrawal from the agreement are not EFF's reasons for opposition to it. Whereas the President contended in his inauguration address that previous U.S. trade policies had "enriched foreign industry at the expense of American industry," he had nothing to say about EFF's concerns such as the <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2016/02/global-alliance-condemns-internet-rulemaking-through-closed-trade-agreements" style="color: rgb(149, 79, 114);" class="">secrecy with which the pact was concluded</a>, and its <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2015/11/release-full-tpp-text-after-five-years-secrecy-confirms-threats-users-rights" style="color: rgb(149, 79, 114);" class="">impacts on digital rights</a>.<o:p class=""></o:p></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">This means that the President's withdrawal from the TPP may not have achieved a long-lasting victory on those underlying issues. In other words, when future trade deals led by the Trump administration come up—such as a revision of NAFTA, and new bilateral agreements—they may be just as secretive, and equally harmful to Internet users' rights, as the TPP.<o:p class=""></o:p></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">Ten days ago EFF held a <a href="https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2017/01/perils-secrecy-copyright-rulemaking" style="color: rgb(149, 79, 114);" class="">roundtable on trade transparency</a> to try to avert that outcome, by gathering experts from across government and civil society to make the case for a new, more transparent and inclusive approach to trade negotiations. Today, we are publicly releasing the text of five simple recommendations that came out of that meeting:<o:p class=""></o:p></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">On January 13, 2017 we the undersigned participants at a Trade Transparency Roundtable presented the following recommendations to the United States Trade Representative (USTR) for the reform of its current trade negotiation practices, which we observe as lacking in public transparency and openness.<o:p class=""></o:p></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><b class="">1. Publish U.S. textual proposals on rules in ongoing international trade negotiations</b><o:p class=""></o:p></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">USTR should immediately make available on its website the textual proposals related to rules that it has already tabled to its negotiating partners in the context of the TTIP, TiSA, and any other bilateral, regional, or multilateral trade and investment negotiations it undertakes.<o:p class=""></o:p></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><b class="">2. Publish consolidated texts after each round of ongoing negotiations</b><o:p class=""></o:p></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">USTR should impose as a prerequisite to any new or continuing trade negotiations that all parties agree to publish consolidated draft texts on rules after each negotiating round, including negotiations conducted on the entire agreement or a specific element or chapter and among trade ministers or other officials of every party to such negotiations or of a subgroup of the parties to such negotiations.<o:p class=""></o:p></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><b class="">3. Appoint a "transparency officer" who does not have structural conflicts of interest in promoting transparency at the agency</b><o:p class=""></o:p></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">USTR should immediately appoint a transparency officer who does not have any structural conflicts of interest in promoting transparency at the agency.<o:p class=""></o:p></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><b class="">4. Open up textual proposals to a notice and comment and public hearing process</b><o:p class=""></o:p></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">USTR should initiate on-the-record public notice and comment and public hearing processes—at least equivalent to that normally required for other public rulemaking processes—at relevant points during the generation of government positions.<o:p class=""></o:p></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><b class="">5. Make Trade Advisory Committees more broadly inclusive</b><o:p class=""></o:p></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">If proposed U.S. texts and draft texts from negotiations are made publicly available, the main official advantage of the Trade Advisory Committee system – access to that information – would disappear. However, if Trade Advisory Committees are to be retained in addition to public notice and comment and public hearing processes, then resources must be devoted to making membership and effective participation in these committees more accessible to all affected stakeholder groups, including non-industry groups.<o:p class=""></o:p></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">We submit these recommendations in the firm belief that that such reforms will be essential in enabling the successful conclusion of future trade agreements, particularly those that contain provisions relating to the digital and online environment.<o:p class=""></o:p></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">These five recommendations have also been endorsed by the <a href="https://sunlightfoundation.com/" style="color: rgb(149, 79, 114);" class="">Sunlight Foundation</a> and the <a href="http://www.arl.org/" style="color: rgb(149, 79, 114);" class="">Association of Research Libraries</a>, and we will be updating this post with further organizational endorsements as we receive them. <o:p class=""></o:p></p><p style="margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class="">The President also stated in his inauguration speech last week that henceforth "every decision on trade…will be made to benefit American workers and American families." If that is so, then one such decision should be to ensure that these American workers and families have access to the text of the proposed trade rules that will affect their lives, and that there is a better way of ensuring that their opinions, rather than just those of industry lobbyists, are reflected in U.S. trade policy. Indeed, however U.S. trade rules may change going forward, better transparency in developing those rules makes sense for this and every future U.S. administration. <o:p class=""></o:p></p><div style="background-color: white;" class=""><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;" class="">The five simple recommendations above are a good first start, and currently EFF's top priority on trade and your rights. We will be transmitting them to the United States Trade Representative and to other key offices within the administration, and following up throughout the year.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class=""> </span></div></div><div class=""><i class=""><br class=""></i></div><div class=""><table width="600" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="container" border="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px; color: rgb(47, 47, 47); font-family: 'Times New Roman', Times, serif; font-size: 20px;"><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td style="border-collapse: collapse;" class=""><table cellpadding="0" border="0" style="border-collapse: collapse; border-spacing: 0px;" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td bgcolor="#fff" class="body-content" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: proxima-nova, Helvetica, Arial, sans; padding: 40px 0px; line-height: 1.5; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><div class=""></div><div class=""><a href="http://www.prosperousamerica.org/press_release_cpa_supports_president_trump_s_executive_order_to_withdraw_us_from_tpp?e=16bd52ea5801843952f55a3a83aaa431204770cd&utm_source=prosperousamerica&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=170123_trumptpp&n=2" class=""><br class=""></a><strong class="">Press Release: CPA Supports President Trump's Executive Order to Withdraw US from TPP</strong></div><p style="margin-bottom: 1em;" class="">Washington~ In his first day of office, President Trump signed an executive order to withdraw the US from Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations. <br class=""><br class="">"It’s a great thing for the American worker, what we just did,” said President Trump while signing order.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1em;" class="">This executive order fulfills a campaign promise to rewrite America’s trade policy during his first days as president. CPA supports the executive order and applauds President Trump for holding true to his campaign promises.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1em;" class="">“President Trump's fulfillment of his campaign promise to withdraw from the TPP shows he is serious about trade reform,” said Michael Stumo, CEO of CPA. “We look forward to working with the administration to balance trade, grow our manufacturing and agricultural supply chains and protect our sovereignty.”</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1em;" class="">"This is very good news as a first step on a long road for bringing jobs in the factory and the farm back to the USA,” said Brian O’Shaughnessy, CPA Chief Co-Chair and Co-Chair for Mfg. “The TPP has no language to offset currency manipulation, border adjustable tariffs and extends the power of foreign tribunals to force our country to change our laws to conform to their wishes."</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1em;" class="">"TPP would be a 'more of the same' in a long line failed trade deals," said Dan DiMicco, CPA Board of Director. "Trump is right to withdraw and it should not be resurrected."</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1em;" class="">CPA and other organizations have <a href="http://www.prosperousamerica.org/21st_century_trade_agreement_principles?e=16bd52ea5801843952f55a3a83aaa431204770cd&utm_source=prosperousamerica&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=170123_trumptpp&n=3" class="">drafted a document listing 13 principles</a> that should be included in all future trade agreements:</p><blockquote class=""><p style="margin-bottom: 1em;" class=""><strong class="">1. Balanced Trade:</strong> Trade agreements must contribute to a national goal of achieving a manageable balance of trade over time.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1em;" class=""><strong class="">2. National Trade, Economic and Security Strategy:</strong> Trade agreements must strive to optimize value added supply sustained growth</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1em;" class=""><strong class="">3. Reciprocity:</strong> Trade agreements must ensure that foreign country policies and practices as well as their tariff and non-tariff barriers provide fully reciprocal access for U.S. goods and services. The agreements must provide that no new barriers or subsidies outside the scope of the agreement nullify or impair the concessions bargained for.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1em;" class=""><strong class="">4. State Owned Commercial Enterprises:</strong> Trade agreements must encourage the transformation of state owned and state controlled commercial enterprises (SOEs) to private sector enterprises. In the interim, trade agreements must ensure that SOEs do not distort the free and fair flow of trade - throughout supply chains - and investment between the countries.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1em;" class=""><strong class="">5. Currency:</strong> Trade agreements must classify prolonged currency undervaluation as a per se violation of the agreement without the need to show injury or intent.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1em;" class=""><strong class="">6. Rules of origin:</strong> Trade agreements must include rules of origin to maximize benefits for U.S. based supply chains and minimize free ridership by third parties. Further, all products must be labeled or marked as to country(s) of origin as a condition of entry.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1em;" class=""><strong class="">7. Enforcement:</strong> Trade agreements must provide effective and timely enforcement mechanisms, including expedited adjudication and provisional remedies. Such provisional remedies must be permitted where the country deems that a clear breach has occurred which causes or threatens injury, and should be subject to review under the agreements’ established dispute settlement mechanisms.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1em;" class=""><strong class="">8. Border Adjustable Taxes:</strong> Trade agreements must neutralize the subsidy and tariff impact of the border adjustment of foreign consumption taxes.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1em;" class=""><strong class="">9. Perishable and Cyclical Products: </strong>Trade agreements must include special safeguard mechanisms to address import surges in perishable and seasonal agricultural product markets, including livestock markets.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1em;" class=""><strong class="">10. Food and Product Safety and Quality:</strong> Trade agreements must ensure import compliance with existing U.S. food and product safety and quality standards and must not inhibit changes to or improvements in U.S. standards. The standards must be effectively enforced at U.S. ports.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1em;" class=""><strong class="">11. Domestic Procurement:</strong> Trade agreements must preserve the ability of federal, state and local governments to favor domestic producers in government, or government funded, procurement.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1em;" class=""><strong class="">12. Temporary vs. Permanent Agreements:</strong> Trade agreements must be subject to renegotiation and renewal. Renewal must not occur if the balance of benefits cannot be restored.</p><p style="margin-bottom: 1em;" class=""><strong class="">13. Labor: </strong>Trade agreements must include enforceable labor provisions to ensure that lax labor standards and enforcement by contracting countries do not result in hidden subsidies to the detriment of U.S.-based workers and producers.</p></blockquote><p class="p1" style="margin-bottom: 1em;"><em class="">The Coalition for a Prosperous America is a nonprofit organization representing the interests of 2.7 million households through our agricultural, manufacturing and labor members.</em></p><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><div align="center" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;" class=""><table class="MsoNormalTable" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><tbody class=""><tr style="height: 76.5pt;" class=""><td width="798" colspan="2" valign="top" style="width: 6.65in; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 76.5pt;" class=""><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""> </span><span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);" class=""> </span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><img apple-inline="yes" id="9D4ABEA2-BF15-4884-B29F-563E129D6656" height="108" width="111" apple-width="yes" apple-height="yes" src="cid:image006.png@01D27587.4AADE1F0" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 28pt;" class="">C</span></b><b class=""><span style="font-size: 22.5pt;" class="">OMMITTEE ON </span></b><b class=""><span style="font-size: 28pt;" class="">W</span></b><b class=""><span style="font-size: 22.5pt;" class="">AYS AND </span></b><b class=""><span style="font-size: 28pt;" class="">M</span></b><b class=""><span style="font-size: 22.5pt;" class="">EANS</span></b><b class=""><span style="font-size: 22.5pt;" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></b></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 14pt;" class="">Richard Neal (D-MA), Ranking Member<o:p class=""></o:p></span></b></div></td></tr><tr style="height: 58.5pt;" class=""><td width="399" valign="top" style="width: 239.4pt; border-style: none none solid; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-width: 1pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 58.5pt;" class=""><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""> <o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><b class="">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE</b><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class="">January 23, 2017<o:p class=""></o:p></div></td><td width="399" valign="top" style="width: 239.4pt; border-style: none none solid; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-width: 1pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 58.5pt;" class=""><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: right;" class=""> <o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: right;" class=""><b class="">CONTACTS<o:p class=""></o:p></b></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: right;" class=""><a href="mailto:william.tranghese@mail.house.gov" style="color: purple;" class="">William Tranghese</a>, 202-225-5601<o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: right;" class=""><a href="mailto:kevin.parker@mail.house.gov" style="color: purple;" class="">Kevin Parker</a>, 202-225-2856<o:p class=""></o:p></div></td></tr><tr style="height: 48.5pt;" class=""><td width="798" colspan="2" valign="top" style="width: 6.65in; padding: 0in 5.4pt; height: 48.5pt;" class=""><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""> <o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 20pt;" class=""><a href="https://democrats-waysandmeans.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/neal-pascrell-statements-us-withdrawal-tpp" style="color: purple;" class="">Neal, Pascrell Statements on U.S. Withdrawal from TPP</a><o:p class=""></o:p></span></b></div></td></tr><tr class=""><td width="798" colspan="2" valign="top" style="width: 6.65in; border-style: none none solid; border-bottom-color: windowtext; border-bottom-width: 1pt; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" class=""><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class=""> <o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class="">WASHINGTON, DC</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class=""> – Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Richard Neal (D-MA) and Trade Subcommittee Ranking Member Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ) today released the following statements after the Administration announced that the United States has withdrawn from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement:<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><b class=""><u class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class=""> </span></u></b></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class="">“The TPP agreement was flawed in many respects, as all of the major presidential candidates recognized last year. But withdrawing from the TPP must be a first step, not a last one,” <b class="">said Ranking Member Neal.</b> “We need new rules and better enforcement to make trade a two-way street, particularly in the Asia-Pacific region. I look forward to working with the President, my Congressional colleagues, and stakeholders as we develop a new trade policy that focuses on improving the lives of American families and workers.”<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><b class=""><u class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class=""> </span></u></b></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class="">“The TPP had already failed from lack of Congressional and public support. Going forward, the U.S. needs a new direction for trade – one that creates jobs in America, reduces our trade deficit, raises wages and protects the environment, consumer safety, and public health,” <b class="">said Trade Subcommittee Ranking Member Pascrell.</b> “Most congressional Republicans supported the trade agreements President Trump now says he wants to abandon. While Democrats have spent decades fighting bad trade deals, this is a Johnny-come-lately moment for the Republican party. I look forward to bringing them into the fold of fighting for American workers. Now is as good a time as any to start.”<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><o:p class=""> </o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class="">###<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class=""> </span><o:p class=""></o:p></div></td></tr><tr class=""><td width="798" colspan="2" valign="top" style="width: 6.65in; padding: 0in 5.4pt;" class=""><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class=""><span style="font-size: 9pt;" class=""> </span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class=""><span style="font-size: 9pt;" class="">1139E Longworth House Office Bldg., Washington, D.C. 20515</span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class=""><span style="font-size: 9pt;" class=""> </span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class=""><a href="http://democrats.waysandmeans.house.gov/" target="_BLANK????" style="color: purple;" class=""><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none;" class=""><img apple-inline="yes" id="B428E765-DD07-45FB-80A0-6A62FC3BC697" height="35" width="36" apple-width="yes" apple-height="yes" src="cid:image002.png@01D27569.ECA83C30" class=""></span></a><span style="color: white;" class="">-</span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/waysandmeanscommitteedems" target="_BLANK????" style="color: purple;" class=""><span style="color: white; text-decoration: none;" class=""><img apple-inline="yes" id="F34E035F-D966-4302-B5E1-2566D7811DA9" height="32" width="32" apple-width="yes" apple-height="yes" src="cid:image003.png@01D27569.ECA83C30" class=""></span></a><span style="color: white;" class="">-</span><a href="http://www.twitter.com/waysmeanscmte" target="_BLANK????" style="color: purple;" class=""><span style="color: white; text-decoration: none;" class=""><img apple-inline="yes" id="7DBEA563-8350-43EC-A533-1EEBE231E2DE" height="32" width="32" apple-width="yes" apple-height="yes" src="cid:image004.png@01D27569.ECA83C30" class=""></span></a><span style="color: white;" class="">.</span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/waysandmeansdems" target="_BLANK????" style="color: purple;" class=""><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none;" class=""><img apple-inline="yes" id="CC88930D-D53C-4F77-8BA2-8F24D4694591" height="32" width="32" apple-width="yes" apple-height="yes" src="cid:image005.png@01D27569.ECA83C30" class=""></span></a><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class=""><span style="font-size: 10pt;" class=""> </span><o:p class=""></o:p></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: normal;" class=""> <span style="color: rgb(31, 73, 125);" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""> </span></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: normal;"></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" align="left" class=""><tbody class=""><tr class=""><td width="2" height="228" class=""></td></tr><tr class=""><td class=""></td><td class=""><img apple-inline="yes" id="C152A7AB-24F3-4485-8110-D43A89443F43" height="180" width="765" apple-width="yes" apple-height="yes" src="cid:image008.png@01D27587.4AADE1F0" class=""></td></tr></tbody></table><a name="OLE_LINK5" class=""></a><a name="OLE_LINK4" class=""></a><a name="OLE_LINK3" class=""></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""> </span><div class=""><br class="webkit-block-placeholder"></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: normal;" class=""><i class=""><span style="font-size: 4pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-variant: small-caps;" class=""> </span></i></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: normal;" class=""><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""> </span></div><br clear="ALL" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;" class=""><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: normal;" class=""><b class="">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE </b><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: normal;" class="">January 23, 2017<o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: normal;" class=""><b class="">CONTACT:<o:p class=""></o:p></b></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: normal;" class="">Ron Boehmer: 202-225-3661<o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: normal;" class=""><o:p class=""> </o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: center;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 14pt;" class="">DeLauro Statement on the Administration’s Executive Orders on Trade Agreements<o:p class=""></o:p></span></b></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: normal;" class=""><b class=""> </b></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: normal;" class=""><b class="">WASHINGTON, DC </b>— <b class="">Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03)</b> today released the following statement regarding news that the Administration is formally withdrawing from the Trans-Pacific Partnership. DeLauro led the movement in Congress to defeat the agreement and she continues to push for new rules of the road for trade agreements in the future.<o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: normal;" class=""><o:p class=""> </o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: normal;" class="">“Members of Congress worked closely with a coalition of labor, environmental, consumer protection, faith, and human rights activists for more than five years to defeat the Trans-Pacific Partnership. The agreement died from lack of support from Democrats and Republicans in Congress and the opposition of the American people. Today’s action underscores what happened last year.<o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: normal;" class=""><o:p class=""> </o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: normal;" class="">“Going forward, we will hold the Administration accountable for a renegotiated NAFTA that creates good paying middle class jobs that cannot be outsourced, and that raises wages in the U.S. We expect a trade policy that expands access to affordable medicine, safeguards our food supply, and protects the environment.<o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: normal;" class=""><o:p class=""> </o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: normal;" class="">“This is the standard to which we held the last Administration, and we will demand a comprehensive, new approach to trade policy under this Administration. The President cannot change the direction of our nation's trade policy without the support of Congressional Democrats.”<o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: normal;" class=""><o:p class=""> </o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: center;" class="">###<o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: normal; text-align: center;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><a href="http://www.DeLauro.House.Gov" style="color: purple;" class=""><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class="">delauro.house.gov</span></a><u class=""><span style="color: blue;" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></u></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: normal;" class=""><o:p class=""> </o:p></div></div></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table><div class=""><br class=""></div></div>
<br class=""></body></html>