The TRADE Act
NAFTA and the WTO have been a disaster for working people in Oregon and around the globe — but the coming years offer amazing opportunities to not only stop the expansion of these corporate trade deals, but to actually begin fixing the problems they have created.
In June 2008, landmark new Fair Trade legislation called the Trade Reform, Accountability, Development and Employment (TRADE) Act was first introduced in Congress. This legislation would go a long way towards ensuring that trade policy actually benefits working people and strengthens the economy, as well as protecting consumers, the environment, public health and small farmers, both at home and abroad.
The TRADE Act had over 85 cosponsors its first year, and was supported nationally by a wide range of progressive organizations including the AFL-CIO, Change to Win, Sierra Club, National Farmers Union, United Methodists, Public Citizen, United Steelworkers, Machinists, Teamsters, Communication Workers of America, UNITE HERE, Friends of the Earth, National Family Farm Coalition, Citizens Trade Campaign and many others.
Re-introduced in 2009, the TRADE Act eventually had over 150 cosponsors — including a strong majority of the House Democratic Caucus. Learn more and express your support for this crucial legislation by clicking here.
The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)
Now encompassing a dozen nations, the TPP far exceeds trade deals like NAFTA and CAFTA in its size and scope. It is also intended as a “docking agreement” open to additional nations throughout the Pacific Rim. While most negotiating documents remain secretive, those that have been leaked reveal U.S. proposals even worse than those found in many previous trade agreements. Click here for an early copy of our public comments on this trans-Pacific FTA.
Trade and Immigration
Most Oregonians know about the devastating impact that free trade agreements have had in this state — what’s less known is the destructive role that these policies have played in neighboring countries, and their connection to forced migration. Check out the online report-back from an ORFTC delegation to Mexico, and learn more about this important topic by clicking here.
Fast Track
Fast Track is the policymaking procedure that allowed trade agreements to be rushed through Congress without ordinary review, amendment and debate. It resulted in some of the most damaging trade policies of our lifetimes. Learn more by clicking here .
Other Important Issues
Korea Free Trade Agreement
Panama Free Trade Agreement
Colombia Free Trade Agreement
World Trade Organization
Trade in Services
States’ Rights and International Trade
Trade and Elections
Trade Policy and Family Farms
Trade and Financial Deregulation
Trade and Global Warming
For information on these campaigns or any other trade issue, please call Oregon Fair Trade Campaign at (503) 736-9777.