WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Walter B. Jones (R-NC) today reacted to U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk’s statement that the Obama administration can strengthen provisions of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) without renegotiating the pact. Backing off President Obama’s campaign rhetoric supporting renegotiation, Kirk said on a teleconference with reporters that President Obama and Mexican President Felipe Calderon “have both said they don’t believe we have to reopen the agreement.”

Congressman Jones’ statement follows below:

“It is extremely disheartening that President Obama would backpedal on his promise to level the playing field for the U.S. by renegotiating NAFTA. Since 1994, the United States has run a $342.1 billion current account deficit with Canada and a $618.7 billion current account deficit with Mexico – a combined deficit of $960.8 billion. Clearly, NAFTA needs fixing.”

“As a result of badly negotiated trade agreements like NAFTA and CAFTA, the U.S. has lost 4.5 million manufacturing jobs since 2001 – 364,500 in North Carolina alone. The loss of jobs and the negative implications of an unlevel playing field with our NAFTA partners are clear. Trade deficits do matter and have real world consequences for American workers. President Obama and U.S. Trade Representative Kirk need to fix NAFTA and work to ensure that future trade agreements do not repeat the failed NAFTA model.”