Washington (October 5, 2015) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) released the following statement on reports of an agreement on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a proposed international trade agreement between Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, Vietnam, and the United States. Earlier this year, Senator Markey and five of his Senate colleagues urged U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman to defend environmental and health provisions in the TPP and exempt them from investor-state dispute settlement jurisdiction. Senator Markey and his colleagues also spoke on the Senate floor about the TPP and trade agreements. 

“The United States should only enter into international trade agreements with countries that safeguard workers' rights and protect our environment in order to promote a healthy global economy. This trade agreement also has the potential to massively increase the amount of America’s natural gas that can be exported with automatic approvals, which could drive up U.S. prices and hurt American consumers, businesses and our national security. We can have free trade, but only if it is fair trade.  I look forward to robust debate in Congress on this agreement that will impact nearly every American worker and business.”

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