Senate Democrats Unveil ‘A Better Deal On Trade And Jobs’ – New Policies Will Put American Workers First And Fight Back Against Companies That Outsource Jobs & Countries That Manipulate Trade Laws

Democrats Are Offering The American People ‘A Better Deal’ On The Economy – Plan Will Make Our Economic And Political Systems Work For All Americans, Not Special Interests Or Just The Wealthiest Few

Senate Dems Announce Critical Tenet Of That Plan – A Better Deal On Trade And Jobs; Dem Proposal Calls for Tough New Measures To Stop Trade Cheating And Market Manipulation By Countries Like China, Punish Outsourcing, Create An Independent Trade Prosecutor To Combat Unfair Trade Practices, Establish New ‘Buy American’ Standards, And More 

Dems: We Must Stop The Outflow Of Good-Paying American Jobs To Other Countries 

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Bob Casey (D-PA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Joe Donnelly (D-IN), and Joe Manchin (D-WV) today unveiled one of the critical tenets of their new economic agenda, “A Better Deal.” This new proposal will finally make our trade system work for American workers, rather than the biggest corporations and lobbyists. This new plan would level the economic playing field by ensuring American workers aren’t competing in a race-to-the-bottom on wages and labor protections with countries that don’t follow the rules. The “Better Deal on Trade and Jobs” proposes new economic security measures to stop countries that cheat on trade from buying American companies or flooding our markets with cheap goods that lead to American job losses and lower wages. The Democrats have also included strong “Buy America” protections and penalties for outsourcing in federal contracting, as well as a tax on companies that ship jobs overseas.

This announcement follows the Democrats’ formal launch of their Better Deal economic agenda last week in Berryville, VA. A Better Deal focuses on three main goals. First, it proposes new policies to raise the wages and incomes of American workers and create millions of good-paying jobs. Second, the Democrats’ plan will lower the costs of living for families. And finally, it would build an economy that gives working Americans the tools to succeed in the 21st Century. In the days and weeks to come, Democrats will propose more bold ideas to achieve their goal of lowering everyday costs, filling and creating millions of new, full-time, good-paying jobs with a diverse, trained workforce that has the tools they need to succeed in the 21st Century.

Today, Democrats launched their plan for A Better Deal On Trade & Jobs. Specifically, A Better Deal on Trade and Jobs will raise incomes and create more good-paying jobs by implementing the following program:

1. An Independent Trade Prosecutor to Combat Trade Cheating: a new Independent Trade Prosecutor would begin rapidly challenging unfair trade practices by foreign countries, like China, that have been ignored for far too long, without relying on the years-long World Trade Organization process.
2. The American Jobs Security Council: a new council comprised of independent economic experts would review a potential purchase by a foreign company of an American company and have the authority to stop the deal if it results in detrimental economic impacts, like U.S. job losses.  The council would operate in public and have a robust input process for working people.
3. Make NAFTA Work for Working People: a plan for a renegotiated NAFTA must support more American jobs and higher wages. This can be achieved by negotiating the agreement in the open with workers at the table and requiring strong, enforceable labor standards. NAFTA must also ensure greater and more secure market access for U.S. exports, especially agricultural exports.
4. Penalties for Federal Contractors that Outsource Jobs: new rules to penalize federal contractors who outsource good-paying manufacturing and call center jobs by requiring federal agencies to consider a company’s record of outsourcing for three years prior to an application for a federal contract.
5. Buy America Requirements for All Taxpayer-Funded Projects: new rules to require that taxpayer dollars be spent on U.S. companies and U.S. jobs for all federal public works and infrastructure projects and current rules be revised to limit Buy America loopholes.
6. Crack Down on Countries that Manipulate Their Currency:  currency manipulation law that levels the playing field for U.S. manufacturers by penalizing countries that unfairly manipulate their currency. 
7. An Outsourcing Tax for Companies Leaving the U.S.: new rules in our tax laws so that companies are punished, and no longer rewarded, for shipping jobs and factories overseas, while creating tax incentives for companies that relocate foreign jobs back to the U.S.

Read the full Better Deal on Trade plan here.

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