September 28, 2012

News Release

Contact:  Sara Haimowitz, 202.688.5145, sara@prosperousamerica.org

Canonsburg, PA ~ The Coalition for a Prosperous America’s Pennsylvania Chapter held a meeting yesterday with Congressman Tim Murphy (R-PA) advocating adoption of the 21st Century Trade Agreement Principles endorsed by over 150 associations, companies and labor organizations across the country.  CPA member company, Universal Electric Corp., hosted the event.

Congressman Murphy (top photo), a lead sponsor of the Fair Currency Reform Act of 2011 (HR 639), has long been concerned with the U.S. trade deficit and harm to manufacturing and jobs.

“Congressman Murphy shares CPA’s concern that the trade deficit and resulting foreign debt harm U.S. economic and geopolitical interests,” said Dave Frengel (3rd photo), Chairman of CPA’s Pennsylvania Chapter.  ”Several organizations from agriculture, manufacturing and labor developed the 21st Century Trade Agreement Principles to show a comprehensive way forward, and a departure from the past, to drastically improve trade negotiations through a national strategy.”

Joel Ross, CEO of Universal Electric (2nd photo from top), welcomed participants stating his company’s concerns about fixing the trade deficit.  Dave Frengel presented the 21st Century Trade Agreement Principles to Congressman Murphy and the other attendees.

“We are doing more than merely criticizing Washington’s broken trade policy,” said Frengel.  ”We have spent months developing a comprehensive new direction with these Principles.  Balanced trade should be a national priority.  We also need to correct current policies related to currency manipulation, rules of origin, food safety, foreign border taxes, and other issues.”

“Congressman Murphy was very interested in the 21st Century Trade Agreement Principles and offered to  inform and educate his colleagues about these matters.”

The Coalition for a Prosperous America is a nonprofit organization representing the interests of 2.7 million households through our agricultural, manufacturing and labor members.