Wyden Statement on NAFTA Negotiations

Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., issued the following statement on the status of NAFTA negotiations, and refuting the president’s assertion that he can unilaterally withdraw from NAFTA without Congressional approval:

“The president doesn’t have a deal, he doesn’t have a plan, and he doesn’t even have the power to follow through on his empty threats. The president needs to take a look at the Constitution – it gives Congress authority over trade. The president cannot pull America out of NAFTA without Congress’s permission,” Wyden said.

Trump is relying on bluster and bullying in a desperate attempt to get Congress to swallow his half-baked deal. You can’t fix NAFTA without fixing issues with Canada: from dairy and wine to red tape on small shipments and new digital commitments, to eliminating NAFTA's unconstitutional review of our trade remedy laws that has benefited Canada, and more. Cutting Canada out is surrendering on these issues. Once again, after a splashy announcement, American workers are getting the shaft on the details that matter. Despite Trump’s threats, he’s made no progress with China, and the EU won’t even talk about its barriers to American agriculture. Finally, the deal with Korea announced in the spring doesn’t actually have any commitments on currency, despite what was promised at the time.  Trump’s trade negotiations aren’t tough, they’re tissue-paper soft.” 

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