WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) today issued the following statement on Ford's withdrawal from Japan citing the failure of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) to crack down on currency manipulation and remove barriers to Japan's auto industry.
'TPP lacks enforceable currency manipulation provisions and the agreement's auto rules were written by Japan for Japanese automakers at the expense of American auto jobs. The ink isn't even dry and we are already seeing proof that this massive agreement will sell out American workers and roll back the remarkable recovery of our auto industry.'
As the U.S. and 11 other countries negotiated the TPP, Brown was an outspoken advocate for a strong auto chapter that would level the playing field for U.S. automobile manufacturers and workers. Brown wrote to U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Michael Froman and U.S. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew in September urging them to address currency manipulation in the TPP.
In September, Brown also penned a letter urging Ambassador Froman to negotiate an agreement that holds Japan to its commitment to phase out its tariffs in accordance with the longest staging period, use NAFTA-based rules of origin as a basis for TPP, and include provisions to remove non-tariff barriers, including currency manipulation.
Brown also wrote to Froman in December 2014 highlighting the impact of TPP on the auto industry and outlining similar concerns over tariffs, country of origin labeling, and currency.
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Sherrod Brown issued this content on 25 January 2016 and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 26 January 2016 16:56:13 UTC
Original Document: http://www.brown.senate.gov/newsroom/press/release/brown-statement-on-fords-withdrawal-from-japan
