Sanders Statement on House Trade Vote

WASHINTON, June 18 – Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) issued the following statement today after the House, in an about face, revived a bill to give President Barack Obama authority to send Congress trade agreements it can reject or ratify but not change:

“I am extremely disappointed but not surprised that the House put the interests of powerful multi-national corporations, drug companies and Wall Street ahead of the needs of American workers.

“I will work to defeat the measure once and for all when the bill returns to the Senate. This disastrous trade deal is opposed by all of organized labor in America, virtually every environmental group in the country and many religious groups. They all know that it will make it easier for corporations to abandon the United States and move good-paying American jobs to low-wage countries overseas.

“I believe that trade is good but we need a new approach that benefits the working families and not just corporate America.”