NAFTA

Washington, DC -- June 9, 2009 -- A three-member NAFTA arbitration tribunal rejected a $50 million claim filed by the Canadian mining company, Glamis Gold Ltd., challenging certain actions taken by the Department of the Interior (DOI) and certain measures adopted by the State of California relating to land reclamation in connection with proposed open-pit mining operations. The Office of the Legal Adviser of the Department of State represented the United States in the case.    » read more »

Mining Firm's Claim Had Major Flaws, but Four Foreign Investor Cases Against U.S. Totaling Over $6 Billion Still Pending

June 9, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. -- A NAFTA tribunal's dismissal of Glamis Gold Inc.'s challenges against California's mining regulations is not surprising given severe flaws in Glamis' claim and the fact that the ruling does nothing to remedy the serious problem of NAFTA providing foreign investors special rights to attack domestic health and environmental laws, Earthjustice, Earthworks, Public Citizen and Sierra Club said today.    » read more »

Tuesday, March 31, 2009 - Surface transportation trade between the United States and its North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) partners Canada and Mexico was 27.2 percent lower in January 2009 than in January 2008, dropping to $47.5 billion, the biggest year-to-year percentage decline on record, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). The $47.5 billion in U.S.-NAFTA trade in January 2009 was the lowest monthly amount since January 2004.

The value of U.S. surface transportation trade with Canada and Mexico fell 10.3 percent in January from December. Month-to-month changes can be affected by seasonal variations and other factors.    » read more »

Statement of Lena Pons, Policy Analyst, Public Citizen

In announcing that it would extend its cross-border trucking pilot project for two more years, the Bush administration continues to flout Congress at the expense of highway safety. This is the latest of many moves by the administration to give Mexico-domiciled carriers operating authority in the United States beyond a limited border zone despite lawmakers’ clear instructions to the contrary.    » read more »

April 22, 2008 -- In Youngstown, Ohio today, John McCain, "standing before a nearly shuttered factory pocked with broken windows," tried to sell his failed Bush economic ideas but failed miserably, showing just how out of touch he is with the issues facing America's families. McCain, the ninth richest member of Congress, even went as far as comparing his presidential primary campaign to the struggles of workers hit hardest by the Bush economy in Rust Belt cities such as Youngstown where jobs have left and people are struggling to find work. [McClatchy, 4/22/08; Roll Call, 9/10/07]

John McCain speaks at CMU: Photo by Patrick Gage (CC)    » read more »

April 21, 2008 -- New Orleans, Louisiana -- PRESIDENT BUSH: Mr. President, thank you very much. We've had a very long and very good discussion on a variety of issues. U.S. and Mexican relations are very important. And sometimes we in America take those relations for granted, but we share a large border, we share the same values, we've got people on both sides of the border, we've got friends and family members. And it is fitting that you and I have this kind of conversation.

George W. Bush and Mexico’s President Felipe Calderon: White House photo by Chris Greenberg    » read more »

Hoffa Disagrees with Bush Statement on Benefits

April 14, 2008 -- (Washington, D.C.) –Teamsters General President Jim Hoffa on Monday said President George Bush is out of touch with American workers when he says a trade deal with Colombia would be good for them.

The Teamsters strongly oppose the agreement.

James Hoffa, Jr at Teamsters Dinner: Photo by Rob Jacob (CC)

"George Bush is dead wrong when he says a trade deal with Colombia would be good for American workers," Hoffa said. "That's the same lie that was told about NAFTA, CAFTA and PNTR. American workers know these trade deals are a disaster."    » read more »

April 12, 2008 -- Chicago, IL - Hari Sevugan, spokesman for Obama for America, released the following statement in response to remarks delivered by Senator Clinton this morning in Indianapolis:

"We won't be lectured on being out of touch by Senator Clinton, who believes lobbyists represent real people and is awash in their money and who can't tell a straight story about her lengthy record of supporting trade deals like NAFTA and China that have devastated communities in Pennsylvania and Indiana. She won't change the broken Washington system that all too often leaves American workers behind, but Barack Obama will."

Source: Barack Obama campaign

Prepared remarks provided below

April 02, 2008 -- Philadelphia, PA - Senator Barack Obama addressed the Pennsylvania AFL-CIO this morning in Philadelphia, emphasizing his commitment to fighting the corporate special interests and delivering an agenda that makes sense for working Americans. As President, Obama will renegotiate NAFTA - which Senator Clinton supported as First Lady - invest in a green economy to help keep good jobs here in America, and make sure that every American has quality health care.

Senator Barack Obama at AFL-CIO Convention in Philadelphia, PA, April 2, 2008: Photo by Barack Obama campaign    » read more »

3/12/2008 -- "We don’t need lectures on trade from a President who has turned back the clock on worker and environmental protections, allowed our trade deficit to skyrocket and stood idly by while countries like China unfairly manipulate their currency and dump products like steel on the U.S. market.

In fact, the reason we so desperately need to take a timeout from new trade agreements is to put a stop to the Bush Administration’s reckless and destructive trade policies, and to chart a new course on trade policy for the 21st Century that is genuinely pro-worker and pro-American.    » read more »

New Public Citizen Report Identifies Changes to WTO, NAFTA Rules Needed to Facilitate Candidates’ Proposals on Health and Climate

Feb. 28, 2008 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Public Citizen today identified changes needed to World Trade Organization (WTO) rules and the investment provisions of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) to implement a dozen of the presidential candidates’ key health and climate policy proposals.    » read more »

As President, Barack Obama will invest in job creation, fix NAFTA, and fight for fair trade

February 24, 2008, Columbus, OH - Senator Barack Obama visited the National Gypsum plant in Lorain today to meet with workers and discuss his plan to invest in job creation-particularly "green jobs" in the clean energy sector-end tax breaks for companies that move jobs overseas. Obama also stressed his opposition to unfair trade deals like NAFTA and vowed to fight for fair trade.    » read more »

Making Trade Work for Working Families

Statement of Joan Claybrook, President, Public Citizen

Jan. 7, 2008 -- Today, the Bush administration spat in the public’s face by allowing full access to U.S. roads to yet another Mexico-based carrier — despite Congress’ clear intent that the reckless NAFTA trucking pilot program be brought to an end.    » read more »

Statement of Lori Wallach, Director of Public Citizen’s Global Trade Watch Division

Dec. 11, 2007 -- Wal-Mart, Exxon and others already under scrutiny for dangerous imports or bad labor and environmental practices really must not care what American consumers think of them or else they would not dare to line up today to push a trade deal with Colombia, a country whose government is being investigated for connections to paramilitary death squads and is reviled worldwide for having the highest number of unionist murders.    » read more »