Landmark New Fair Trade Legislation: The TRADE Act
The Trade Reform, Accountability, Development and Employment (TRADE) Act was first introduced in Congress in 2008 with over 50 original cosponsors and the strong support of a wide range of labor, environmental, family farm and faith organizations. This landmark new fair trade legislation includes:
- Process for reviewing and renegotiating existing trade agreements like NAFTA, CAFTA and the WTO
- Mandatory criteria for future trade agreements regarding labor, environmental, food safety, intellectual property, service, procurement, investment, agricultural, national security, states' rights, anti-dumping and dispute resolution provisions.
- Reassertion of Congressional authority and public oversight in trade policymaking.
TAKE ACTION NOW:
Take a stand for fair trade! Please contact your Members of Congress through the Congressional Switchboard at 202-224-3121, or through our online form, and urge them to cosponsor the TRADE Act.
The TRADE Act’s new standards include:
Labor: Countries must adopt into domestic law and effectively enforce the International Labor Organization’s core labor standards. Failure to do so subjects parties to dispute resolution and enforcement mechanisms that are at least as stringent as those for commercial claims. A commission of labor rights specialists is also empowered to conduct investigations and initiate enforcement actions.
Environment: Countries are prohibited from eliminating, weakening or failing to enforce domestic environmental protections for trade purposes. Trade in illegally-harvested resources is banned. Countries must fully implement and enforce all multilateral environmental agreements to which the U.S. is a party. Failure to do so is subject to dispute resolution and enforcement.
Consumer Safety: Food and feed may only be imported into the U.S. if it meets or exceeds U.S. safety standards. The FDA and CPSC are instructed to review the regulations of trading partners and ensure that other products entering the U.S. meet or exceed domestic safety standards.
Services: Trade agreements cannot be used to require privatization or deregulation of services.
Investment: Countries maintain the right to regulate foreign investment according to their own priorities, and to place restrictions on speculative capital. Investor-to-state dispute resolution is eliminated.
Agriculture: Countries are allowed to develop strategic agricultural reserves and enact policies allowing for fair remuneration for growers and farm workers. Countries may maintain anti-dumping policies and U.S. anti-trust laws cannot be preempted.
Intellectual Property: Access to essential medicines and global warming-reduction technologies may not be obstructed. Patents on traditional knowledge must be consistent with the Convention on Biological Diversity.
States’ Rights: States can only be required to comply with procurement, services or investment provisions with their explicit prior informed consent.
What People Are Saying about the TRADE Act:
AFL-CIO President John Sweeney:
"This bill ... outlines a new U.S. trade strategy -- one that puts a priority on the interests of working class Americans, farmers, the environment, and domestic manufacturers, not just multinational corporations. The AFL-CIO is proud to support the TRADE Act. It is past time to restructure U.S. trade policy to work for working families -- here at home and around the world."
Change to Win Executive Director Greg Tarpinian:
"The TRADE Act lays the foundation for creating fair trade agreements that will help working families achieve the American Dream in the 21st century economy."
Sierra Club Trade Program Director Margrete Strand Rangnes:
"This Act has the potential to set straight the history of NAFTA and the WTO to encourage truly sustainable development that promises to benefit the majority of the world's people ... while protecting our resources for future generations."
Teamsters General President James Hoffa:
"At long last, we can see an end to 14 years of disastrous trade deals. The TRADE Act would make sure that the benefits of trade go to workers as well as the richest few. It sets new rules for global trade that create good jobs and improve working conditions everywhere. The TRADE Act lays out the foundation of how a trade agreement should be negotiated, and what it can and cannot include. Finally, we can have fair trade that workers everywhere deserve.”
CWA President Larry Cohen:
"The TRADE Act restores Congress's constitutional right of oversight in trade policy. The Bush Administration has trampled on that right. The landmark legislation ... will ensure that no matter who occupies the Oval Office, Congress will have a meaningful say in trade policy."
Friends of the Earth President Brent Blackwelder:
“Trade agreements should support, rather than undermine, environmental protection. The TRADE Act encourages responsible behavior, providing a blueprint for a far better and more balanced way to conduct international trade.”
UNITE HERE General President Bruce Raynor:
“This bill breaks new ground on the enforcement of labor rights, environmental protection, food and product safety, procurement, safeguards against surges of imports, trade remedies against unfair trade practices and the ability for countries to regulate foreign investment."
National Family Farm Coalition President Ben Burkett:
“We applaud the introduction of the TRADE Act. The legislation is clear that fair trade begins with farmers being able to earn fair prices reflecting cost of production, fair treatment of farm labor, and limitations against unfair dumping practices. It allows for all countries who are part of a trade agreement to establish strategic food and energy reserves, an important policy instrument that must be reinstated to address the growing global food crisis."
Public Citizen Global Trade Watch Director Lori Wallach:
"The TRADE Act is exciting because it describes concretely new trade and globalization policies that many Americans would support and shifts the debate toward future consensus about what we are for, rather than focusing on opposition to the current model. Corporate interests have hijacked past trade pacts to get special protections -- patent extensions that jack up drug prices, subsidies for offshoring production and more. The TRADE Act tips the scales back in balance with a trade agenda that also suits workers, the environment and everyday consumers."
United Steelworkers Legislative Director Holly Hart:
“The USW strongly encourages you to cosponsor this groundbreaking legislation. We must take action now to shape the future debate on trade.”
International Association of Machinists Statement:
"The TRADE Act represents a fresh new start to replacing the failed trade model that continues to destroy jobs, lives and communities."
Americans for Democratic Action Statement:
"The time has come for the United States to take a new step forward on global trade so that everyone benefits. Americans for Democratic Action wholeheartedly supports the TRADE Act as the approach to move us in the right direction."
Citizens Trade Campaign National Director Andrew Gussert:
“This Act is a balanced way to expand trade, offering us all a fair way forward. It means trade agreements will better serve a majority of people on issues such as jobs, the environment, human rights and public health, giving us all a model we can support.”