Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) issued the following statement today on his vote against legislation that would implement a free trade agreement with Peru:
“It is clear that our previous free trade agreements – including NAFTA and CAFTA – have led to the loss of millions of American manufacturing jobs. Our free trade policy is broken and we should refrain from passing further agreements until we address the flaws that have cost so many hard-working Americans their jobs.”
“While the Peru free trade agreement represents progress with respect to labor and environmental standards, these provisions are still not strong enough. When considering future free trade agreements, I will look for provisions that are truly enforceable. I also believe that we should only enter into agreements with countries that permit their citizens the basic democratic rights enjoyed by Americans such as freedom of the press and the right to hold property.”
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