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Golden Discusses NAFTA with Union Workers in Skowhegan, Small Business Priorities in Lewiston

April 30, 2019

Golden seeks out feedback from workers & small businesses to inform priorities

LEWISTON — Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) heard from union workers and small businesses at multiple events in the Second District during this week's district work period. Golden has made a priority of traveling across the state to engage directly with the Mainers he represents, visiting more than 30 Maine towns and cities in since January 3.

In Skowhegan, Congressman Golden hosted a trade forum with Maine workers, the AFL-CIO, the Maine Fair Trade Campaign, and the Citizens Trade Council. The forum included a panel discussion on how the administration's new NAFTA 2.0 trade agreement will impact workers in Maine. Following the forum, Golden took questions from workers concerned about the trade deal's failure to address, the offshoring of jobs, lower wages, and other problems caused by the original NAFTA.

"Our country is on the verge of repeating the same mistakes we made over 25 years ago with NAFTA,"Golden said at the forum. "If this NAFTA 2.0 proposal lacks serious enforcement mechanisms, it will come up short for the American worker. The workers I heard from today agree: we have to send our negotiators back to the table with Mexico and Canada to create a deal that can be enforced, and to fight for a deal that keeps jobs in America."

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Congressman Golden speaking to small group in chairs.

Earlier in the week, Congressman Golden joined the U.S., Maine, and L/A Metropolitan Chambers of Commerce for a roundtable discussion with local small businesses in Lewiston. During the roundtable, the congressman worked with business experts, small businesses, and local leaders to identify challenges that need to be addressed for Maine's small businesses to grow and expand.

"Our discussion brought to light important roadblocks holding Maine's small businesses back. Washington hasn't done enough to bring broadband to our rural communities, improve our infrastructure, or prepare the next generation of Mainers to enter the workforce," Golden said. "We have to push through the dysfunction in Congress and confront these problems."

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Congressman Golden speaking with people at a large square of tables.

The group discussed the need to rebuild the state's infrastructure, invest in rural broadband, and prepare the next generation of Mainers to enter the workforce.

Attendees of the roundtable included representatives from Androscoggin Valley Council of Governments, Geiger, the Manufacturers Association of Maine, The Computer Place, Texas Instruments, and Trafton Matzen, Balleau, and Frenette.

Since taking office in January, Golden has been traveling throughout the Second District to hear directly from Mainers on the issues that matter to them. Tuesday's forum and Wednesday's roundtable were part of Congressman Golden's two-week district work period.

The congressman is a member of the House Small Business Committee and chairs the Subcommittee on Contracting and Infrastructure.

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