WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.- Sen. Richard Burr announced that he will opposing the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal that aims to deepen economic ties between 12 countries by slashing tariffs and fostering trade to boost growth.

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While the completion of the TPP is President Obama’s No. 1 legislative priority of his second term, Senator Burr has recognized many problems associated with the trade deal and hopes the trade deal will not be enacted.

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“I believe that trade can open markets for American goods and services to be sold all over the world, but the TPP is a bad deal for America,” Senator Burr said.  “The Obama administration is rigging the system to pick winners and losers in favor of industries that he and his allies support. I cannot support a deal that singles out North Carolina’s agricultural industry unfairly. I am also concerned that this deal does not adequately protect intellectual property rights and fails to provide strong enough measures to address currency manipulation.”

 

Senator Burr, unlike his opponent for U.S. Senate, Deborah Ross, has opposed the TPP since the initial release of the potential deal in 2015.

 

In the United States, most goods and services are involved in the TPP trade deal. Some tariffs are going to be removed and in all, approximately 18,000 U.S. tariffs are affected. Following the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), North Carolina experienced job losses. The TPP plans to remove tariffs from textiles and clothing, one of North Carolina’s top five export industries. Senator Burr believes that all lawmakers in North Carolina should be concerned.

 

“Anything less than a level playing field is unacceptable,” Senator Burr said. “This deal simply does not accomplish enough for Americans. I oppose it and will do what I can to defeat it."

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