House Republicans object to LGBT provisions of new NAFTA trade deal
Among the accomplishments President Donald Trump is most proud of is renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) between the United States, Canada, and Mexico. But a group of GOP lawmakers voiced concerns over the ramifications of language about LGBT “discrimination.” At issue is Chapter 23 of the deal, under which all three countries agree to “implement policies that protect workers against employment discrimination on the basis of,” among other things, “sexual orientation” and “gender identity.” “We recognize your tireless efforts to protect the American worker and the American economy,” 38 Republican members of Congress wrote in a November 16 letter to the president. “We are, however, deeply concerned by the unprecedented inclusion” of “sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) language for the first time in a Free Trade Agreement.” “A trade agreement is no place for the adoption of social policy,” the signatories declared, warning that the elevating SOGI cl