Jonathon Berman, (202) 495-3033, joanthon.berman@sierraclub.org
Washington, DC -- Donald Trump’s North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) draft renegotiation notice has been revealed, exposing his plan for altering the trade pact. The plan shows only minimal changes to the existing trade deal, widely opposed by workers, environmentalists, and communities across the country.
The draft notice does not eliminate the Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) system, which permits multinational corporations to sue the United States in private trade tribunals staffed by corporate attorneys over environmental and health protections. TransCanada used this existing NAFTA provision to launch a $15 billion suit against the U.S. for rejection of the Keystone XL pipeline, which reportedly pushed Trump to cave on his promise to build the pipeline with U.S. steel. Additionally, the plan indicates a repeat of TPP labor and environmental provisions that were deemed too weak by virtually all leading labor and environmental groups. Lastly, the deal makes no mention of broadly-supported proposals for provisions that would ensure the American people are put first, not corporations.
In response, Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune released the following statement:
“For all his grandstanding and bluster, Trump failed to put forth a plan to renegotiate NAFTA in the American people’s interest. As a candidate and now in office, Trump promised a serious renegotiation that would put American workers first and end corporate giveaways, but this plan fails to keep that promise and instead looks an awful lot like the TPP deal defeated by a movement of millions and decried by Trump himself. The American people deserve a real renegotiated NAFTA that will protect our workers, our communities, and our environment, not the same broken deal with Trump’s logo printed on it.”
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