The nine members of the House Trade Working Group released a statement condemning the South Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS), in opposition to Republican and presidential support for the disastrous deal.

Rep. Mike Michaud (D-ME) called the proposed deal a “fundamentally flawed trade agreement that will cost us jobs in the United States.”

“The war on the middle class continues. Its greatest battle of 2011 will be the Korea free trade agreement,” said Rep. Brad Sherman (D-CA).

Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe, both Republicans from Maine, have also refused to sign on to a letter demanding the USTR present Congress with a treaty to vote upon, citing various concerns. As bipartisan opposition begins to coalesce against this failed trade deal, other Senate Republicans have threatened to block the nomination of a new Commerce Secretary until KORUS is approved.

This is another trade agreement that makes no sense for America. While it will increase exports, it is almost certain to increase imports far more. A report from the Economic Policy Institute shows that this deal could increase the U.S. trade deficit by $16.7 billion and cost up to 159,000 jobs over the course of its first seven years.

We need fair trade agreements that correct America’s trade imbalance as well as protecting the rights of workers and the environment. This agreement is clearly unfair, especially with respect to automobiles. The U.S. would be allowed to export up to 75,000 a year to South Korea compared to the more than half a million South Korea exports here. By way of comparison, in 2007, the U.S. sold 7,000 American vehicles in South Korea, or less than one percent of the entire market. South Korean automakers, on the other hand, sold 615,000 vehicles in the U.S. that same year. Korea has only 48 million people – the U.S. has over 300 million. It would not be possible to have anything but a massive trade imbalance with this country. In addition, KORUS does nothing about South Korea’s value-added tax, or government policy to audit anyone who buys an American vehicle.

While the members of the House Working Trade Group have pledged to begin an education campaign to sway their colleagues, that alone may not be enough. Even though officials do care what their friends think, they care even more about what their constituents believe. Contact your officials and let them know they can’t count on your vote if they continue to approve job-killing “free” trade deals!

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