President Obama is the first to say it: Past trade deals haven’t always lived up to the hype.
Coming from Illinois, he saw first-hand how trade could devastate small-town communities as manufacturers moved overseas in search of lower wages. Previous trade deals like NAFTA also failed to put in place tough labor and environmental standards, leaving American workers to fight an uphill battle on an uneven playing field.
That’s why the President is working with Congress to secure the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). It’s the best opportunity we have to level that playing field and engrain American values in a trade agreement that will put American workers first.
Twelve countries – including Canada and Mexico – will be party to the TPP. That means we have the opportunity to renegotiate and improve on our old trade agreements to make sure America’s middle class reaps the benefits.
Check out this chart to see what the Trans-Pacific Partnership will do that past deals like NAFTA did not: