Overhauling America's Debilitating TRADE Policies

Editor's Note: EconomyInCrisis.org fully supports the TRADE act and encourages you to contact your representatives in Washington and ask that they support this very important piece of legislation as well.

For years America’s failed trade policies have resulted in the loss of millions of quality manufacturing jobs, environmental degradation, rising income inequality and threatened public health and safety.   

Now a diverse group of House members are pushing for a complete overhaul of the nation’s trade policies which they claim would “ensure economic security and the creation of quality jobs here, while offering opportunities for sustainable development in poor countries.” 

The legislation, sponsored by Rep. Mike Michaud (D-ME) in the House and Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) in the upper chamber, is aptly named the Trade Reform, Accountability, Development and Employment Act (TRADE).

The bill would require the Government Accountability Office to conduct a comprehensive review of America’s major trade pacts including NAFTA, the World Trade Organization and the Central American Free Trade Agreement. That review must be conducted before Congress and would be allowed to analyze any new or pending trade pacts.  In addition, the GAO would be asked to set guidelines for what could and could not be included in future trade pacts.   

The TRADE act would require all future trade pacts to include environmental and labor standards, food and product safety measures, human rights protections, currency anti-manipulation rules, federalism safeguards and national security exceptions.   

The bill would require that standards be inserted for things that cannot be included in future trade agreements, including service sector privatization and deregulation requirements, bans on “buy American,” child labor and environmental provisions.   

In addition, the president would be required to renegotiate existing trade agreements based on the aforementioned standards and the recommendations of the Government Accountability Office.  

However, the president would not have carte blanche in renegotiating the trade pacts.  The bill would require the expansion of congressional oversight by establishing a committee of chairs and ranking members of all the congressional districts with jurisdiction over trade issues.   

Finally, the bill would scrap fast-track negotiating authority for the president and put more power in the hands of Congress in choosing trade partners and negotiating trade pacts. 

“We all know that we live in a globalized world. But we need to ensure trade is fair for our workers and the economy. The TRADE Act shows what we are for in future trade agreements – and paves the way on how to fix our existing agreements,” Michaud said in a press release.  

Overall the bill has 106 co-sponsors, including nine committee chairs, 45 subcommittee chairs and members of the Democratic caucus ranging from very liberal to slightly conservative. The bill also has two Republican cosponsors: Reps. Walter Jones of North Carolina and Chris Smith of New Jersey.

Michaud introduced similar legislation in the previous Congress. During that time, the legislation gained the support of just 74 cosponsors, however, it did not make it out of committee.  

“This is an exciting day for trade policy,” said Michaud. “Last year, we had 74 cosponsors of the TRADE Act and this year we have 106. Members are sick and tired of being against trade agreements and they want to stand for something. I have no doubt the number of cosponsors have increased because the American people are demanding a new course on trade. The TRADE Act is a tremendous step forward in the debate and could help shape the future of our trade policies.” 

For more information on the TRADE Act, including information on how to contact your representatives, important forms, letters and talking points, please visit .

Click here to contact your Representative in Congress.

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