transportation. >> i had worked for transportation companies. my whole background was in transportation. it is nice to return to a field where i had worked previously. it is nice to be able to be back in a department where i am familiar. announcer: watch our interview with elaine chao. at 8:00 p.m. on c-span, c-span radio, and c-span.org. unfoldswhere history daily. in 1979, c-span was created as a public service by america's cable television companies. it is brought to you today by your cable or satellite provider. senate democrats have

unveiled a proposal forward to seeing the trade deficit, which includes a renegotiation of nafta. with the authority to block foreign investments that would result in job losses. several democrats discussed plan outside the capital. >> well, good morning. thanks very much for being here today. we are here today because we believe in an america, where people who work hard every day need to know that someone has there back in a global economy. if you are working in a factory or in a farm or on your phone, you should have the confidence that our country works for you, and that our trade laws work for you. you should have the confidence that we are exporting our products and not our jobs.

but that's not the reality for the majority of americans. for too many american workers and small businesses, the rules are rigged against them. that has to change. many people are working harder and longer than ever. but their jobs pay less and a race down to the lowest wage in another part of the world. our workers deserve a race up, the good wages that allow you to raise your family and have a good life. that is why we are here today offering a better deal on trade and jobs. in michigan, i know that our workers, our small businesses, manufacturers, farmers can compete with anybody, anybody in the world, if we have got a level playing field. and that means creating a trade prosecutor who will be laser focused on going after countries, like china, that manipulate their currency, which has cost us 5 million jobs,

stealour technology -- our technology and cheat with unfair trade practices. it means passing hour bring jobs home act, to close the loophole that incentivize companies for taking jobs overseas. american families deserve a better deal, and that is what we are committed to make happen. >> let me say very quickly. anyone that believes free trade is fair trade, come to west virginia. see what happens to our manufacturing jobs, whether it is the coal industry, steel industry, chemical industry. we lost big-time. not to have countries with their manipulation, if you will, and also, on top of that, i am concerned about us not even having minerals in our country that we even mine anymore. if we should do anything is

protect the national interest of our country, the security of our country. when you let different corporations from different countries that basically our -- are working toward our financial markets, buying our financial markets, i think it's detrimental to the security of our nation and well-being of this nation. so we are going to fight hard. west virginia has taken a hit, but we are fighting back. we not only need free trade, the -- but fair trade. we are going to work hard. with that, it is my pleasure to introduce joe bentley. >> thank you. we want to make sure that the rules of this country stand up for american workers. my outsourcing act, it makes it so that come if you want a federal contract, you are going to be determined whether you have outsourced jobs.

and if you have, when everything else is looked at in the contract, is everything else is the same, the company who has kept jobs in america is the one who keeps the contract. it changes tax laws so there is no benefit to really jobs somewhere else. there's no tax benefits, no moving costs included. it includes tax benefits if you are bringing jobs back to the united states. these are simple things that we can do to stand up for our workers. in my state, we have 300 carrier workers who just lost their jobs. there are more that will lose their jobs at christmas. we need to stand up for those families and others around the country to make sure we are fighting to keep jobs here in america. it's my privilege to introduce someone who fights everyday in the badger state for jobs there. she is a great colleague and she is a straight shooter, senator tammy baldwin. [applause]

>> wisconsin families depend on our manufacturing jobs. i believe, if we give our workers and manufacturers and -- a level playing field, we will compete and win. to level the playing field, democrats are proposing a better deal. a better deal that prevents trade deals from hurting our workers. it takes on china's cheating. and it puts an end to rewarding companies with tax cuts for shipping jobs and factories overseas. we would also put in place stronger by america requirements for taxpayer-funded projects. i have written buy america legislation because i strongly believe american workers should build our infrastructure with american products and taxpayers money should not be spent on iron and steel from foreign

countries, like china and russia. my buy america reform passed the senate last year with bipartisan support. when it got to the house, foreign steel companies bought washington lobbyists to kill it. speaker ryan and mitch mcconnell gave them what they wanted, and american workers were left behind again. in april, president trump came to wisconsin and announced his support for my buy america legislation. the congressional republican leadership continues to stand in the way. america and their workers deserve a solid commitment from us on a strong buy america standard that rewards their hard work. it is time washington put american manufacturers and steelworkers first, ahead of

powerful special interests. our better deal will close loopholes that provide a foreign producers access to large sums of your taxpayer dollars. the bottom line is this. democrats and republicans agree that we need a major investment to rebuild our roads, bridges and water infrastructure. we need republicans to stand with us and with our -- manytual errors manufacturers and with american workers. let's get the job done on strong buy america reforms, so we can put people to work rebuilding our infrastructure with the words "made in america." it's my pleasure to now introduce my colleague and friend from the commonwealth of pennsylvania, senator bob casey. [applause] >> thanks very much.

a better deal for america starts with a lot of what my colleagues have reviewed today. one of those priorities that we have to focus on his renegotiating nafta. but seriously renegotiating nafta, not just some kind of a rewrite of tpp. we need a serious effort. i think most people out there who look at what has happened with regard to trade deals over time feel like they are left out. workers are let out of the -- left out of the negotiation room. we believe the administration should negotiate in an open and transparent manner, that the public should be regularly given detailed information about the negotiations so they know what is at stake at every step of the negotiations. the united states trade representative staff should hold town hall meetings open to the public in at least 10 different states to discuss specific nafta

priorities before any draft can be finalized. the american people and congress must know what the administration seeks to achieve in the agreement before and throughout the negotiations. that is critical. that process is critical. in addition to that, we talk about nafta. we have to make sure that we have strong buy america standards and that we have strong, enforceable labor standards and wage standards, in addition to environmental standards and so many others that seem to be left out in too many negotiations. second, with regard to china, we know in pennsylvania all too well that, when china cheats, pennsylvania loses lots of jobs. that has been happening for far too long. when countries cheat, whether it is china or any other, we have to make sure that we go after them with everything that we have. number one, we should make sure

that the administration will insist on quick and definitive action on behalf of steel and aluminum producers to make sure that they have a level playing field. and finally, we need to hold companies accountable when they ship jobs overseas. when you ship jobs overseas, there should be a consequence when you seek a federal contract. when companies outsource jobs, they should pay a tax for moving those jobs overseas. when a company does the right thing and brings jobs back, here in the united states, they should get a tax incentive. whether it is cracking down on this issue, cracking down on china cheating, or renegotiating nafta, we have a long way to go to make sure we are doing everything we can, hear in the congress in a bipartisan fashion. and the administration needs to be consistent with what the president said when he was

campaigning to make sure we renegotiate nafta in a serious way. it is my pleasure to introduce someone who fights for jobs every day on behalf of our country, senator chuck schumer. [applause] >> thank you and my colleagues for their great work. every one of these people who you heard speak puts american workers first. american workers first. last week in berryville, we democrats began to offer a better deal to the american people. the better deal promises three things. first, higher wages and better jobs. second, lower everyday expenses. third, the tools workers need to succeed in the 21st century. nothing is more central to creating jobs and increasing take-home pay than rewriting our backward trade laws that have

put foreign workers ahead of american workers, that have put big multinational corporations ahead of the needs of hard-working average american families. for far too long, our trade laws have given multinational corporations and foreign competitors a leg up on the american worker. they put the corporate bottom line ahead of the workers bottom line. today, we democrats are proposing a better deal for workers, with tough, tough trade laws that finally, finally put american workers first. in addition to the ideas my colleagues have laid out, today, we are also calling for the creation of an american jobs security council. right now, foreign countries buy up the best of american companies, but they have to get approval from the committee of foreign investment in the united states. it has to certify that the

proposed deal doesn't harm our national security. but no one ever checks if it hurts our economic security. the jobs and incomes that workers need. that is where the american job security council comes in. the panel will have power to block foreign companies if they attempt to hurt american workers, leading to the that. -- theft. opposed to investment that

leaves workers out in the cold. we are opposed to countries like china not allowing reciprocal access to american companies and their country and we know that they are trying to get critical industries where america has dominant, semiconductors, robotics, steel. we need to provide a better deal for the american work was. tough seven point plan. prosecutordent trade that goes after companies that are not fair and are outsourcing jobs overseas, countries like china that come in and are unfair. nafta,urity council, making that work, penalties for contractors, bi-america provisions, and outsourcing

taxes. we do this and it is a new day for american workers. income and the number of good-paying jobs goes up. we want a better deal for the american work her's. ready for your questions. yes. -- better deal for american workers. ready for your questions. there will be all kinds of bills that need to pass time we hope republicans will join us. some of them understand these issues and we want this to be bipartisan. our job is to protect workers. as something that that -- >> absolutely.

>> what we want to do is put forward our own letter with concepts and that is what we are doing. stuff isof this similar to what trump talks about. squares?rn that this things on the merits and he has talked a good game, but has done nothing, other than studying it. we need action and, if president trump wants to work with us, good.

we need a better deal for american work nurse. -- workers. any transactions that have prompted concerns? >> china is trying to get the best companies. we export and employ people in good union-paying jobs in china is buying up companies in hollywood production. do you know how many american homes are allowed in china? 24. it is all over. .e have to stop it what happened with clothing, toys, they don't play

by the rules. is a new york city cab driver and he said that sometimes uncle sam is asap. -- a sap. >> the proposal? >> we will put out a statement on that. illegal immigration does not make much sense. different than illegal immigration. >> they are studying the issue. we need action now. is the by american loophole

something you're looking to close? that is what we want. >> washington journal is live every day.

tax.g up, a session on pete sap has the taxpayers union. lisa collins with the center for international studies. washington journal is live at 7:00 on thursday. join the discussion. >> sunday night. how this mano know could have had the courage to find his way out of slavery and i was intrigued. i could not stop reading about him. >> the life of a slave who escape bondage. >> he served five terms in the

house of representatives and he never fully recovered from that. not better he is known today. >> sunday on q and a. andolitical scientists reporters discussed procedure and how it affects ability to pass a decision. this is 1.5 hours. ok. thanks very much.