For Immediate Release, October 21st, 2010                                                                          

Contact: Andy Gussert, Trade Brigade PAC                                                                                                           

Trade Coalition Endorses Congressman Chandler

Farm, Labor and Environmental Groups Credit Chandler as a Champion of Trade Fairness

Washington D.C. – America’s largest non-partisan trade coalition, with over 11 million combined members, endorsed Congressman Chandler today as “a true champion of trade” to acknowledge his solid reform record on this crucial issue.  He received the support of the Trade Brigade of Citizens Trade Campaign as one of the “real reformers in Congress,” joining fewer than ten percent of his colleagues in this category.

“A lot of candidates talk about trade reform at election time, but Congressman Chandler is walking the walk in Washington,” said PAC Director Andy Gussert. “He is an innovator, voting for real change, and is taking principled stands to make sure we can expand trade without outsourcing and offshoring our state jobs.”

Representative Chandler recently cosponsored the Trade Reform, Accountability, Development and Employment Act (The TRADE Act - H.R. 3012) to offer a more balanced way to expand trade.  This reform legislation lays out a fair way forward, outlining what congress should support – and must oppose -- in future globalization policy.  It also means Congressman Chandler took a tough stand against the national Chamber of Commerce and other large multinational corporations who oppose trade reform, and are fighting to keep the status quo.

“We all support trade,” acknowledged Gussert, “And Congressman Chandler is taking needed steps to expand trade and increase exports.  But he also knows that every trade agreement is not automatically a good trade agreement.”  Chandler joined over 140 of his colleagues in cosponsoring the TRADE Act, and has consistently opposed job killing trade deals modeled after the failed North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).

“Congressman Chandler is working hard to make sure we craft agreements that will reflect the interests of a majority of people in his district,” concluded Gussert.  “We applaud him for being a real reformer on trade, and enthusiastically offer our endorsement to his campaign.”

Citizens Trade Campaign first coalesced in 1992 when many diverse groups united against the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).  The non-profit non-partisan coalition is dedicated to fighting job-killing trade deals like NAFTA and CAFTA.  CTC advocates for fair trade policies that better serve the interests of the majority, rather than the agenda of large multination corporations seeking to exploit lax foreign environmental laws and cheap overseas labor.

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