Rep. Kaptur Blasts USTR for Ceremonial Trade Deal Signing

Press Release

Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (OH-9) issued a stinging criticism of U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman following the announcement that he plans to participate in a signing ceremony in New Zealand for the Trans-Pacific Partnership later today.

"I strongly object to U.S. Trade Representative Froman's decision to appear in New Zealand later today to ceremoniously sign an un-ratified draft of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement. This sham performance will take place despite the fact that Congress has not voted for the job-killing TPP deal. Formal debate on the TPP is not even expected to start until after the Presidential election at the end of the year. Putting on a show in New Zealand does not change the fact that the Trans-Pacific Partnership would be a job-killing disaster and does not have Congressional approval.

Time and again, America's working families have been sold a bill of goods on trade. Today's planned performance by the U.S. Trade Representative is no different. This kind of political theatre is highly inappropriate and insulting to millions of American workers and their families who depend on jobs that aredirectly threatened if the TPP is eventually adopted. Today's events do further harm to this Administration's credibility and strain the public trust. I strongly encourage my colleagues in Congress to join me in publicly rejecting this false, unconstitutional, and inappropriately-timed event."

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