Dem senator to give Trump plan to renegotiate NAFTA

Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) plans to give President Trump a four-point plan to overhaul the North American Free Trade Agreement on Monday, as the White House prepares to renegotiate the trade deal with Canada and Mexico. 

Brown, a Democratic populist up for reelection next year, often criticizes NAFTA and other trade deals.

Brown says Trump should be careful not to water down “Buy American” provisions during his negotiations with Canada and Mexico.

{mosads}The Democratic senator wants Trump to press Mexico to enforce labor laws and environmental regulations, which he argues would prevent U.S. jobs from moving to that country.

He supports sector-by-sector negotiations, which he argues would prevent industries from fighting with one another, and he wants to get rid of NAFTA’s independent court system used to settle disputes.

Brown also said the negotiations, as they progress, should be made public and allow the American people to participate. 

The trade negotiations fall into the policy area of the Senate Finance Committee, which Brown is a member of. 

Brown met with Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross last week to discuss NAFTA.

“American jobs shouldn’t be up for negotiation and American workers can’t be traded away as bargaining chips,” Brown said in a Monday statement accompanying the letter. “By setting high standards, putting workers ahead of corporations and refusing to compromise on outsourcing, we can create the best possible deal for all American workers.

“By rethinking the U.S. approach to negotiations and obtaining pre-negotiation commitments from our trading partners as outlined above, you can fulfill your campaign promises, set a new standard for a trade policy, and ensure our trade agreements benefit US workers and communities,” he concluded.