CHERRY HILL, NJ – Today, on the day the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) formally begins, Congressman Donald Norcross (NJ-01), issued the following statement:

“NAFTA must first and foremost benefit American workers. The Trump Administration can accomplish that goal by having an open and transparent process and that includes the voices of working people.

“For years, it’s been clear to me that American workers have suffered from NAFTA. In South Jersey, 19,500 manufacturing jobs have been lost since NAFTA came into force, which is simply unacceptable.

“With talks starting, the Administration has an opportunity to truly put the interests of working people over the corporate lobby. An opportunity to truly make the deal ‘much better’ for our country. And the only way that will happen is if the deal doesn’t expand the old job-killing model that the corporate lobby demands and, instead, creates jobs and raises wages for the American people.”

Today, Norcross also sent a letter with colleagues to U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Robert Lighthizer urging an open and transparent trade negotiating process.

Norcross also stood with House colleagues in calling for renegotiations to focus on American workers 90 days ago when the Trump Administration sent the formal notice on renegotiation to Congress. (Photos from the press conference can be found here.) And in July, Norcross commented on the announced NAFTA renegotiation principles.

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Contact: Ally Kehoe, Communications Director
ally.kehoe@mail.house.gov