May 14, 2015

Manchin Continues to Oppose Trade Promotion Authority That Will Hurt WV Workers

Washington, D.C. – Today, Senator Joe Manchin issued the following statement on his continued opposition to the Trade Promotion Authority (TPA), legislation that would give President Obama fast-track authority to negotiate trade deals such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).

“Although I am pleased that the Senate voted to crack down on currency manipulation and support trade adjustment assistance to workers who have lost their jobs to foreign trade deals, I still cannot support giving the President fast-track authority to negotiate trade deals without more congressional oversight. I have voted against every trade deal legislation so far, and I will continue to vote against trade deal legislation until there is a guarantee these agreements won’t cripple our manufacturing sector and leave thousands of hard-working Americans without jobs. In West Virginia alone, more than 30,000 good-paying manufacturing jobs have been lost on account of NAFTA. I will not stand by and allow thousands of more jobs to be lost without first having a voice in the matter. I will not stand by and let these trade agreements empower corporate America and Wall Street while suppressing America’s 99 percent and Main Street.

“Congress should have the right to review the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal, or any trade deal, and offer amendments to ensure that these agreements are in the best interests of the American worker. I will continue to fight for American job protection when it comes to trade policy and will push for solutions that will help create and keep good-paying jobs across our state and our nation.”

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