Congressman Kildee Stands with Workers and Against Unfair Trade Deals with Korea, Colombia and Panama

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Congressman Dale E. Kildee (D-MI) voted against Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with Korea, Colombia and Panama. The Congressman, whose district has been hit hard by manufacturing job losses as a result of unfair trade policies, has consistently been a fierce opponent of poorly designed trade agreements. He vowed to continue fighting for trade policies that create a level playing field for domestic manufacturing and that work with, not against, the American worker. The Congressman released the following statement:

“In my 35 years in Congress I have fought unfair trade agreements. I have voted against NAFTA, CAFTA, U.S.-Peru FTA, and numerous others. As was painfully clear with deals like NAFTA and CAFTA, trade agreements stack the deck unfairly against American workers. A pitiful lack of enforcement results in jobs being exported instead of goods. Our local economy cannot afford another similar blow.

The Korea, Colombia and Panama trade agreements have the same problems and inadequacies of trade deals of the past and I strongly oppose them. Not only do these deals fail to adequately protect American workers, but they fail to address deplorable labor conditions overseas, particularly in Colombia. We should not be in the business of encouraging companies to exploit workers, both at home and overseas. I would never support an FTA that does not promote fair trade and human dignity, and protect American workers from unfair competition.”