Free Daily Headlines :

  • COVID-19
  • Vaccine Info
  • Money
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Health
  • Justice
  • More
    • Environment
    • Economic Development
    • Gaming
    • Investigations
    • Social Services
    • TRANSPORTATION
  • Opinion
    • CT Viewpoints
    • CT Artpoints
DONATE
Reflecting Connecticut’s Reality.
    COVID-19
    Vaccine Info
    Money
    Politics
    Education
    Health
    Justice
    More
    Environment
    Economic Development
    Gaming
    Investigations
    Social Services
    TRANSPORTATION
    Opinion
    CT Viewpoints
    CT Artpoints

LET�S GET SOCIAL

Show your love for great stories and out standing journalism

Pelosi taps Larson and trade pact foe DeLauro to negotiate changes in ‘NAFTA 2.0’

  • Politics
  • by Ana Radelat
  • June 14, 2019
  • View as "Clean Read" "Exit Clean Read"

U.S. Reps. John Larson, D-1st District, and Rosa DeLauro, D-3rd District.

Washington – House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has chosen U.S. Reps. John Larson and Rosa DeLauro — two of her most trusted allies — to help her address Democratic concerns about a key trade agreement President Donald Trump has negotiated with Mexico and Canada.

The Connecticut Democrats will join a nine-member working group that will negotiate the terms of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) directly with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer.  The new pact updates but does not fundamentally change the decades-old North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

The working group is divided into four subgroups: drug pricing, labor, environment and enforcement. In setting the subgroups up, Pelosi picked DeLauro, D-3rd District, one of the fiercest critics of NAFTA, to work on enforcement of protections for labor, environment and other areas which must be approved by Congress.

DeLauro has been critical of the proposed USMCA, especially since Trump sent a formal draft of the proposal to Congress on May 30. Besides her concerns the new trade pact might weaken U.S. labor and environmental standards, DeLauro has slammed the Trump deal for giving pharmaceutical companies 10 years’ protection from cheaper competition in a category of expensive drugs called biologics, which are made from living cells.

She and other critics warn that without competition, drug companies could charge exorbitant prices for biologics.

“Congressional Democrats remain committed to making key changes to the core of the agreement that will include strong labor and environmental standards and enforcement and remove the monopoly rights for Big Pharma,” DeLauro said.  “These key changes must be included in the text of the agreement in order for it to be considered in Congress.”

While DeLauro is paired with Rep. Terri Sewell, D-Ala., to be members of the subgroup with some of the thorniest issues, enforcement, Larson and Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Ore. were appointed to the subgroup that deals with environmental issues.

“The new NAFTA agreement must be a good deal for Connecticut workers and the Connecticut economy if it is to earn my support,” Larson said. He also said he looked forward “to working with my colleagues on the task force to closely scrutinize the agreement and to push for strong and enforceable labor and environmental standards.”

Reps. Earl Blumenauer of Oregon and Jan Schakowsky of Illinois will lead the drug pricing team and  California Reps. Jimmy Gomez and Mike Thompson will head the labor group. House Ways and Means Chairman Richard Neal, D-Mass., will be at the head of the new House Democrats’ Trade Working Group.

As co-chair of the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee, DeLauro has been a member of Pelosi’s leadership team for years. As former head of the House Democratic caucus, Larson was also once a member of  Pelosi’s leadership team and is now a subcommittee chairman on the Ways and Means Committee.

Sign up for CT Mirror's free daily news summary.

Free to Read. Not Free to Produce.

The Connecticut Mirror is a nonprofit newsroom. 90% of our revenue comes from people like you. If you value our reporting please consider making a donation. You'll enjoy reading CT Mirror even more knowing you helped make it happen.

YES, I'LL DONATE TODAY

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Ana Radelat Ana has written about politics and policy in Washington, D.C.. for Gannett, Thompson Reuters and UPI. She was a special correspondent for the Miami Herald, and a regular contributor to The New York TImes, Advertising Age and several other publications. She has also worked in broadcast journalism, for CNN and several local NPR stations. She is a graduate of the University of Maryland School of Journalism.

SEE WHAT READERS SAID

RELATED STORIES
Connecticut House joins national civil rights campaign over Black hair styles
by Mark Pazniokas

The Connecticut House voted for a bill intended to protect Black women from discrimination over their hair.

CT legislature poised to make early budget pledge to help cities and towns
by Keith M. Phaneuf

The state House is expected to approve more than $100 million in new, annual PILOT grants to municipalities.

Connecticut GOP picks Susan Hatfield as state chair
by Mark Pazniokas

Susan Hatfield, vice chair of the Connecticut Republican Party, will complete the term of the former chair, J.R. Romano.

Senator alleges voter fraud, but no complaint was filed
by Mark Pazniokas

Rob Sampson said a voter in his district was told an absentee ballot already had been cast in her name.

Boston Fed chief predicts strong economic recovery begins in 2nd half of 2021 if vaccine reaches enough people
by Keith M. Phaneuf

A strong economic rebound also depends on states helping those hit hardest by COVID-19, a federal reserve official said.

Support Our Work

Show your love for great stories and outstanding journalism.

$
Select One
  • Monthly
  • Yearly
  • Once
Artpoint painter
CT ViewpointsCT Artpoints
Opinion The historical basis of zoning begs for reform
by Lawrence Rizzolo

Discussions of race are fraught with emotion. Witness the zoning reforms being discussed in our legislature. I will attempt to advance a dispassionate argument that is based on government-sponsored racism that occurred during my lifetime and led to the structural problems that persist today.

Opinion Lamont must stop waffling on the Killingly power plant issue
by Tennyson Benedict

On January 19, Gov. Ned Lamont gave his bluntest comments yet regarding the controversial Killingly natural gas plant, saying, “I don’t want to build Killingly.”  Yet, Lamont still refuses to wield his executive authority to actually stop its construction, and instead offers vague suggestions that market forces will stop the plant’s construction.

Opinion Religious freedom is less than righteousness
by Spencer Hill

The CT Viewpoints opinion “Religious freedom is more than religion” shows just how entrenched is the sincerely held belief that one man’s notion of “freedom” dictates the liberty of others.

Opinion To boost economy, state should invest in the ‘last mile’ of broadband connectivity
by Thomas J. Peters, Ph.D

In his budget address on February 10,   Gov. Ned Lamont announced his intent to expand broadband connectivity in Connecticut, an effort to be lauded. Connecticut enjoys a significant competitive advantage for economic development in the Connecticut Education Network (CEN), “ a 2,500 route mile, all optical, high-performance internet network.”

Artwork Grand guidance
by Anne:Gogh

In a world of systemic oppression aimed towards those of darker skintones – representation matters. We are more than our equity elusive environments, more than numbers in a prison and much more than victims of societal dispositions. This piece depicts a melanated young man draped in a cape ascending high above multiple forms of oppression. […]

Artwork Shea
by Anthony Valentine

Shea is a story about race and social inequalities that plague America. It is a narrative that prompts the question, “Do you know what it’s like to wake up in new skin?”

Artwork The Declaration of Human Rights
by Andres Chaparro

Through my artwork I strive to create an example of ideas that reflect my desire to raise social consciousness, and cultural awareness. Jazz music is the catalyst to all my work, and plays a major influence in each piece of work.”

Artwork ‘A thing of beauty. Destroy it forever’
by Richard DiCarlo | Derby

During times like these it’s often fun to revisit something familiar and approach things with a different slant. I have been taking some Pop culture and Art masterpieces and applying the vintage 1960’s and 70’s classic figures (Fisher Price, little people) to the make an amusing pieces. Here is my homage to Fisher -Price, Yellow […]

Twitter Feed
A Twitter List by CTMirror

Engage

  • Reflections Tickets & Sponsorships
  • Events
  • Donate
  • Newsletter Sign-Up
  • Submit to Viewpoints
  • Submit to ArtPoints
  • Economic Indicator Dashboard
  • Speaking Engagements
  • Commenting Guidelines
  • Legal Notices
  • Contact Us

About

  • About CT Mirror
  • Announcements
  • Board
  • Staff
  • Sponsors and Funders
  • Donors
  • Friends of CT Mirror
  • History
  • Financial
  • Policies
  • Strategic Plan

Opportunity

  • Advertising and Sponsorship
  • Speaking Engagements
  • Use of Photography
  • Work for Us

Go Deeper

  • Steady Habits Podcast
  • Economic Indicator Dashboard
  • Five Things

The Connecticut News Project, Inc. 1049 Asylum Avenue, Hartford, CT 06105. Phone: 860-218-6380

© Copyright 2021, The Connecticut News Project. All Rights Reserved. Website by Web Publisher PRO