DeLauro Statement on ITC Report for Renegotiated NAFTA

WASHINGTON, DC — (April 19, 2019)Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) today released the following statement after the United States International Trade Commission (ITC) released a study projecting minimal economic gains from the Trump Administration's renegotiated North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

"The ITC report reinforces the need for changes to the core text of the renegotiated NAFTA in order to put working people and the middle class first. The minimal economic gains the ITC projects—if they could even be counted, which is far from certain given ITC's past projections—are far outweighed by the damage this deal would do by locking in monopoly rights for Big Pharma and ensuring that drug prices remain high. The current deal also lacks strong, enforceable labor and environmental standards that would ensure workers are paid a fair wage and environmental concerns are addressed. These changes are crucial to winning support for the deal in Congress, and must be in the text of the agreement. I look forward to continuing discussions on making these important changes to support American workers and their families."