Merkley, Wyden react to U.S.-Mexico trade announcement

Sens. Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden, D-Ore., released the following statements Monday after the U.S. and Mexico reached a preliminary deal to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement.

NAFTA also includes Canada, which is not a part of Monday’s agreement, Merkley noted, continuing:

“For more than two decades, American jobs and American workers have suffered because of major imbalances in NAFTA. While we are still waiting to see the details of the final deal, it’s critical that any agreement include serious, enforceable labor and environmental standards to create a level playing field.”

Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., issued the following statement on the announcement that the U.S. and Mexico reached a preliminary agreement to revise NAFTA:

“The president’s track record on trade is clear; the announcements are splashy, but they fail to deliver concrete results for American workers. NAFTA is an outdated agreement that needs a major overhaul, but there are a lot of details missing from today’s announcement, and there are big unanswered questions as to where negotiations will go with Canada. Furthermore, the administration must follow the laws that I fought to pass to keep Congress and the public informed and give ample time to review any deal before votes are considered. On an issue as important as trade policy, Americans and their representatives in Congress must not be kept in the dark.”