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Hillary Clinton on Free Trade

Hillary Clinton on Free Trade Secretary of State; previously Democratic Senator (NY)





Sub-sections under Free Trade: Voting Record

Other issues under Free Trade

I fought illegal dumping of Chinese steel and aluminum

CLINTON: When I saw the final agreement for TPP, it didn't meet my test: Does it create jobs, raise incomes, and further our national security? I'm against it now. There's only one of us on this stage who's actually shipped jobs to Mexico: that's Donald. He's shipped jobs to 12 countries. But he mentioned China: one of the biggest problems we have with China is the illegal dumping of steel and aluminum into our markets. I have fought against that as a senator. I've stood up against it as secretary of state. Donald has bought Chinese steel and aluminum. In fact, the Trump Hotel right here in Las Vegas was made with Chinese steel. So he goes around with crocodile tears about how terrible it is, but he has given jobs to Chinese steelworkers, not American steelworkers.

Source: Third 2016 Presidential Debate, moderated by Chris Wallace , Oct 19, 2016

Trade prosecutor to deal with China illegally dumping steel

TRUMP: Energy is under siege by the Obama administration. The EPA, Environmental Protection Agency, is killing these energy companies. And you take a look at what's happening to steel and the cost of steel and China dumping vast amounts of steel all over the United States, which essentially is killing our steelworkers and our steel companies. It's an absolute disgrace.

CLINTON: First of all, China is illegally dumping steel in the United States and Donald Trump is buying it to build his buildings, putting steelworkers and American steel plants out of business. That's something that I fought against as a senator and that I would have a trade prosecutor to make sure that we don't get taken advantage of by China on steel or anything else.

Source: Second 2016 Presidential Debate at WUSTL in St. Louis MO , Oct 9, 2016

FactCheck: Yes, called TPP "gold standard," unambiguously

THE FACT CHECKER: Trump is right. Clinton is subtly adjusting her words here when confronted with a question about her consistency on policy positions. The fact is she never used the word "hoped." Instead, she was more declarative, using the phrase "gold standard" when she was Secretary of State: "This TPP sets the gold standard in trade agreements to open free, transparent, fair trade, the kind of environment that has the rule of law and a level playing field," she said in Australia in 2012. "And when negotiated, this agreement will cover 40 percent of the world's total trade and build in strong protections for workers and the environment."

Source: Washington Post Fact-check on First 2016 Presidential Debate , Sep 27, 2016

Support deals good for US economy & security; not CAFTA!

Source: First 2016 Presidential Debate at Hofstra University , Sep 26, 2016

I oppose CAFTA & TPP, but global economy needs trade

SANDERS: I do not believe in unfettered free trade. I believe in fair trade which works for the middle class and working families, not just large multinational corporations. This is an area where the secretary and I have disagreements.

Source: MSNBC Democratic primary debate in New Hampshire , Feb 4, 2016

I absorbed new info and changed my mind to oppose TPP

CLINTON: Well, actually, I have been very consistent. Over the course of my entire life, I have always fought for the same values and principles, but, like most human beings--including those of us who run for office--I do absorb new information. I do look at what's happening in the world. Take the trade deal. I did say, when I was secretary of state, three years ago, that I hoped it would be the gold standard. It was just finally negotiated last week, and in looking at it, it didn't meet my standards. My standards for more new, good jobs for Americans, for raising wages for Americans. And I want to make sure that I can look into the eyes of any middle-class American and say, "this will help raise your wages." And I concluded I could not.

Source: 2015 CNN Democratic primary debate in Las Vegas , Oct 13, 2015

Trans Pacific trade deal doesn't meet my standards

Source: PBS.org on 2015 presidential hopefuls , Oct 7, 2015

TPP must produce jobs, raise wages, & protect security

Source: National Journal 2015 coverage of 2016 presidential hopefuls , Apr 27, 2015

Chief advocate for Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)

Clinton saw herself in the middle of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) during her husband's presidency. She supported deals with Oman, Chile and Singapore during her tenure in the Senate. As secretary of State, she was a chief advocate as talks commenced surrounding the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), one of the largest worldwide deals in recent history.

Many proponents of the agreements argue that negotiations need to take place in secret in order to protect the fragile interests of participating countries. This has not sat well with public interest groups and more liberal members of the Democratic Party.

Source: Megan R. Wilson in TheHill.com weblog, "Clinton vs. Warren" , Aug 24, 2014

TPP agreement creates more growth and better growth

At the State Department, Clinton didn't address specifics in the negotiating process, but told attendees at an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum conference that she hoped it would "create a new high standard for multilateral free trade."

Critics have said that the agreement would ease regulations protecting both laborers & the environment, despite claims from Clinton to the contrary: "Our goal for TPP is to create not just more growth, but better growth. We believe the TPP needs to include strong protections for workers, the environment, intellectual property, and innovation," Clinton said at the event in 2011. "It should also promote the free flow of information technology and the spread of green technology, as well as the coherence of our regulatory system and the efficiency of supply chains."

Source: Megan R. Wilson in TheHill.com weblog, "Clinton vs. Warren" , Aug 24, 2014

Global trading system isn't up to standards of fairness

Source: Hard Choices, by Hillary Clinton, p.509 , Jun 10, 2014

China benefits from WTO and should play by WTO rules

Source: Hard Choices, by Hillary Clinton, p.513 , Jun 10, 2014

Have a trade prosecutor to enforce the trade agreements

A: I would agree with Obama a lot, because it is the Democratic agenda. We are going to rid the tax code of these loopholes & giveaways. We’re going to stop giving penny of your money to anybody who ships a job out to another country. We’re going to begin to get the tax code to reflect what the needs of middle class families are so we can rebuild a strong & prosperous middle class. The wealthy & the well-connected have had a president the last 7 years, and it’s time that the rest of the US had a president to work for you every single day. We will have a different approach toward trade. We’re going to start having trade agreements that not only have strong environmental and labor standards, but also a trade time-out. We’re going to look and see what’s working & what’s not working. I’d like to have a trade prosecutor to actually enforce the trade agreements that we have before we enter into any others.

Source: 2008 Democratic debate at University of Texas in Austin , Feb 21, 2008

AdWatch: Supported NAFTA in 1998; opposed CAFTA since 2005

The ad’s claim that Clinton “championed NAFTA” is misleading. It is true that Clinton once praised the North American Free Trade Agreement that her husband championed. As recently as 1998, she praised business leaders for mounting “a very effective business effort in the U.S. on behalf of NAFTA.“

But her position on trade shifted before her presidential run: In 2005, for example, she voted against the Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), and she told Time in 2007 that ”I believe in the general principles [NAFTA] represented, but what we have learned is that we have to drive a tougher bargain.“

Source: FactCheck's AdWatch on 2008 Clinton radio ad on Free Trade , Jan 24, 2008

Criticized trade pacts for weak labor standards

Source: The Contenders, by Laura Flanders, p. 17 , Nov 11, 2007

FactCheck: for NAFTA while First Lady; now against CAFTA

Obama is partly right concerning the North American Free Trade Agreement. Clinton’s views on NAFTA have shifted, but they shifted prior to her official run for the White House. Back in 1998, in a keynote speech given at the Davos Economic Summit, Clinton praised business leaders for mounting “a very effective business effort in the US on behalf of NAFTA,“ adding later that ”it is certainly clear that we have not by any means finished the job that has begun.“ But by 2005 she was expressing reservations about free trade agreements, voting that year against the Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA). And she told Bloomberg News in March 2007 that, while she still believes in free trade, she supports a freeze on new trade agreements--something she calls ”a little time-out.“

Source: FactCheck on 2007 Democratic debate at Drexel University , Oct 30, 2007

Export from big agribusiness, but also from small farmers

A: We do export a lot of agricultural goods, many of that through trade agreements. And I think we’ve got to do three things.