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U.S. Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (MI-12) released the following statement after the administration notified Congress of plans to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). 

“Since NAFTA passed, too many workers in Michigan and across the country have seen their jobs shipped overseas, their wages drop in real terms and their families lose hope. We now have an opportunity to renegotiate this failed trade agreement, but it is critical that we do so in a way that puts working families first. We need to ensure that any renegotiated agreement creates jobs, raises wages and brings manufacturing back to this country. It must require strong rules of origin for cars and auto parts, which is critical for Michigan’s economy and the domestic auto industry, and the process must be open and transparent. 

“We cannot have another trade deal negotiated in secret. Today’s notice is very vague and it is not clear what the negotiation process will look like. If special interests dictate how NAFTA is renegotiated, the new deal could become more damaging for working families. We need to ensure that detailed negotiating goals are issued and that draft text is available after each negotiating round so the American people can determine how the policies will impact their families. I will be introducing legislation in the next week that will require trade deal negotiation transparency so the American people are educated and can have input on the agreements being negotiated on their behalf.”

In February, Dingell introduced a Blueprint for America’s New Trade Policy, a resolution outlining principles that must be included in any replacement of NAFTA, including adding strong, enforceable protections against currency manipulation and requiring strong rules of origin for cars and auto parts. For more information, please click here.