FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 4, 2007
Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Steve Novick emphasized his deep disappointment in the Senate's approval today of the United States-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act.
"Today's Senate vote to continue expanding the failed free trade system that has cost this nation millions of jobs is deeply disappointing. With the record of NAFTA, CAFTA, permanent trade relations with China, the WTO, and a host of other trade agreements, it couldn't be clearer that more unfair trade pacts are not what we need to help the working people of this nation.
"The Peruvian trade agreement does not have adequate requirements that Peru abide by international labor standards that protect workers, with only weak enforcement provisions for violations. Provisions, I might add, that are much weaker than the steep fines, sanctions and jail time that can be levied under the agreement to protect the patents of multinational corporations. I used to enforce federal environmental laws and I know that the severity of penalties has a direct relation to whether a law will be respected. In effect, this agreement says that the money people have more rights than the working people.
"This agreement reflects the same failed trade model of putting profits first that has been undermining this nation for decades. I know we can do better and as Oregon's next Senator I won't vote for any trade agreement that does not include proven safeguards for American workers, as well as enforceable requirements that ensure we compete on a level playing field when it comes to labor and environmental regulations."
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