President Biden and Congressional Democrats’ economic and trade agenda has focused on building an economy that benefits American workers and families across the country.
Democrats have charted the course for a worker-centric trade policy for well over a decade.
House Democrats, with the leadership of Members of this Committee, paved the way for the May 10th Agreement which brought labor and environmental provisions into the core of U.S. trade agreements, and made them enforceable, for the first time.
Democrats have continued to build on the successes of the May 10 Agreement. Most recently, Ways and Means Committee Democrats demanded that the prior administration renegotiate its trade deal with Canada and Mexico to close enforcement loopholes and include strong worker protections, which ultimately led to the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement—the updated NAFTA—the most pro-worker trade agreement ever, with a new facility-specific labor enforcement mechanism to address violations of worker rights in Mexico. The Biden Administration has used this new mechanism eight times to address labor rights abuses and to defend workers.
These improvements to the USMCA resulted in a trade agreement that had overwhelming bipartisan support from Congress and key stakeholders, including trade unions.
Democrats understand that U.S. trade policies should not come at the expense of American jobs or the rights of workers at home or abroad.
That’s why Committee Democrats championed the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act to prohibit the import of products made with forced labor by the Uyghur people in Xinjiang, China. We believe no supply chains should contain products made with forced labor.
We know trade, when coupled with the right domestic economic policies, can play an important role in creating new jobs and supporting a thriving economy.
However, opening the U.S. market to imports from other countries can, and has disrupted domestic industries. For this reason, Committee Democrats have led the charge to reauthorize and to reform the Trade Adjustment Assistance for Workers program or TAA—because we don’t think we should leave America’s workers behind as the result of increased trade with other countries. My colleagues on the other side of the aisle continue to oppose this much-needed program.
Committee Democrats, however, are committed to delivering for American workers by creating the necessary policies. In this vein, House Democrats included TAA in the America COMPETES Act—the most expansive, pro-worker legislation to combat China’s unfair trade practices in years. The legislation, which House Democrats passed last year, would strengthen U.S. trade laws and invest in America’s workers, while boosting the United States’ economic competitiveness.
Unfortunately, my Republican colleagues opposed the legislation and now are pursuing policies that would undermine the enforcement of U.S. trade laws to the detriment of American workers.
Let me be clear: House Republicans have proposed to slash the budgets of the federal government agencies that administer and enforce United States trade laws that protect American workers and industries—by as much as 22 percent. These budget cuts to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Department of Commerce, and other agencies that promote small businesses and U.S. exports would hang American workers and businesses out to dry, as part of a Republican ploy to hold America’s economy hostage instead of responsibly raising the debt ceiling.
These proposed budget cuts follow other recent actions by Republicans to roll back worker rights and protections and to pursue trade policies that would hurt American workers.
I urge my colleagues on the other side of the aisle to come up with meaningful trade proposals—as Committee Democrats have—to ensure U.S. workers, farmers, and businesses have the tools needed to compete in the global economy.
President Biden and congressional Democrats have delivered for the American people, including in the state of New York.
As a result of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, $9.3 billion in funding will go to New York to invest in roads, bridges, public transit, ports and airports, and clean water. These historic investments will reach communities across the entire state of New York – including rural communities and historically underserved populations.
Federal investments and tax credits championed by Ways and Means Democrats in the Inflation Reduction Act, will also drive New York’s clean energy transition, and create jobs on the path to net zero emissions by 2050.
Thank you again, Mr. Chairman and thank you to our witnesses for being here today and for sharing their experiences with us.
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