Trade

Dem Sen. Hagan 'Disappointed' With Kirk's NAFTA Remarks

Eric Kleefeld | April 21, 2009, 1:05PM

A newly-elected Democratic Senator is now breaking with the Obama administration on trade, after Trade Representative Ron Kirk commented yesterday that issues with NAFTA can be addressed without officially renegotiating it.

Freshman Sen. Kay Hagan (D-NC), whose textile state has never been friendly to free trade, put out this press release today:

"While I understand the President's desire to maintain a good relationship with our North American trading partners, I am disappointed US Trade Representative Ron Kirk has said it is not necessary to renegotiate the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)," said Hagan. "This country's current trade policy is not working. The manufacturing economy in North Carolina has suffered and far too many North Carolinians have lost their jobs. It is only right we require our trading partners to enforce the labor and environmental standards that we ask of our manufacturing industry."