Strickland Continues "No More Terrible Trade Deals' Statewide Tour In Cincinnati and Columbus

Statement

Today Ted Strickland continued his 3-day "No More Terrible Trade Deals" statewide tour with stops in Cincinnati and Columbus -- highlighting the contrast between himself and Senator Rob Portman on trade policy and protecting Ohio jobs from being shipped overseas.

During the Tour, Strickland is speaking with workers and outside companies that lost jobs to foreign outsourcing following the passage of unfair trade deals supported by Senator Portman. See the recap from the first day of the Tour here.

"Rob Portman is the best senator China's ever had -- instead of protecting Ohio workers, Portman has voted at every turn for unfair, job killing trade deals that have rocked our economy and sent hundreds of thousands of good paying jobs overseas," said Ted Strickland. "These companies and the workers who lost their jobs are a powerful example of why we need trade policies that put Ohio's interests first -- and a Senator who will actually fight for working people. In the U.S. Senate, I will continue opposing these unfair trade deals -- and my Plan will require more transparency and accountability to stop these deals from being negotiated behind closed doors by the wealthy and well connected at Ohio's expense. When it comes to trade, Senator Portman is pushing the agenda of China, the Washington insiders and the wealthy special interests he serves -- I'll fight for Ohio's working people because that's where I come from and that's who I care about."

In Cincinnati, Strickland's spoke with workers at the Plumbers, Pipefitters & Mechanical Equipment Service Local Union No 392. The Cincinnati area has seen over 2,000 jobs outsourced overseas to places like China, Mexico and the Philippines.

In Columbus, Strickland spoke outside the site of the former Alcatel-Lucent cellular equipment plant, which lost an estimated 255 jobs due to outsourcing to China and Mexico.

Strickland'sOhio Families First Plan calls for enhanced transparency and stakeholder involvement in trade negotiations by requiring that the draft of any trade deal be made public 90 days before Congress votes to authorize Fast Track Authority, and for a period of public comment to precede any vote. In the U.S. Senate, he will continue opposing unfair trade deals and any new efforts by China to gain additional protections, like Market Economy Status.

Senator Portman has been called a "Dedicated Outsourcer;" supported 8 unfair trade deals; voted to grant China Permanent Most Favored Nation Status; failed to crack down on unfair Chinese steel imports as United States Trade Representative; and called anti-Chinese-currency manipulation legislation "counter-productive." Additional information about Portman's record on trade is available at www.BeltwayRob.com.

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