Letter: Why is foreign profit more important than American lives in trade law?

Congressman Dan Newhouse wrote an editorial last year favoring international trade agreements. His introductory statement was “International laws won’t supersede USA laws.” This is untrue. It occurs now.

Congress passed a law, the “Country of Origin” food label, because we deserve to know if our food is unsafe. The World Trade Organization condemned this food-labeling law, claiming it interferes with free trade. The WTO can block American businesses from selling products abroad if we reject imports that violate our laws. An international lobbyist court annulled our “Country of Origin” food label law.

Foreign meat infected with contagious mad cow disease must now be accepted into our food supply.

Indonesia lacks public sanitation. WTO investors acquired Indonesian fish hatcheries polluted with sewage and human waste. These investors sell uninspected fish to USA wholesalers.

Newhouse and fellow Congressman Dave Reichert owe us an explanation why foreign profit is more important than American lives. The Trans-Pacific Partnership allows foreign corporations to cancel our minimum wage laws, worker benefits, and environmental protections including clean air and clean water laws.

This story was originally published March 17, 2016 at 5:54 PM with the headline "Letter: Why is foreign profit more important than American lives in trade law?."