Merkley Statement on Notice of NAFTA Renegotiation

If Trump’s wealthy and powerful friends dictate the terms of the renegotiation, NAFTA could easily become worse, not better, for working Americans.

Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley Photo: Washington Times

(WASHINGTON D.C.) - Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley released the following statement after the Trump Administration formally issued a notice to Congress beginning the process of renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA):

“The key question for trade deals is whether they create good-paying jobs for working Americans, or destroy good-paying jobs.

"For the last two decades, NAFTA has clearly failed this test. Trump’s actions to renegotiate NAFTA will only deliver a better result, however, if he operates with a ‘workers first’ perspective – and so far, he hasn’t.

"TrumpCare destroys health care for millions of workers while delivering $600 billion to the wealthiest Americans. Trump’s tax proposal is even worse, enriching the already richest Americans by an estimated $4-5 trillion!

“If Trump’s wealthy and powerful friends dictate the terms of the renegotiation, NAFTA could easily become worse, not better, for working Americans. That’s unacceptable.

"If we don’t make things in America, we won’t have a middle class in America.”

Source: Office of U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley