A draft of the Democratic Party platform released on Friday refused to take a stand on the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the trade deal that has been one of the most divisive issues in the bitter primary battle between Hillary Clinton and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.
“On the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), there are a diversity of views in the party,” the draft of the platform reads. “Many Democrats are on record stating that the agreement does not meet the standards set out in this platform; other Democrats have expressed support for the agreement.
“But all Democrats believe that any trade agreement must protect workers and the environment and not undermine access to critically needed prescription drugs.”
The draft of the platform is not final until it is voted on at the convention in Philadelphia, which begins July 25.
On the campaign trail, Clinton has been a strong proponent of TPP, saying that the trade agreement would help the American economy. In contrast, Sanders has opposed the deal, arguing that it takes jobs away from American workers and hurts the environment.
Since Clinton won the necessary amount of delegates to secure the Democratic nomination, Sanders has refused to exit the race in the hopes of promoting his core progressive stances on issues such as the TPP.
In a recent fundraising email to supporters, Sanders stated “the most important issue” to push at the convention is to “defeat the disastrous Trans-Pacific Partnership.” Sanders has also said that he will not formally endorse Clinton until he sees her adopt more progressive stances on key issues, such as the TPP.
While the platform does not side with either Clinton or Sanders’ view of the TPP, it notes that Democrats “believe that openness to the world economy is an important source of American leadership and dynamism,” but that new trade agreements should be approached with skepticism.
The draft of the platform adds that the United States should “never enter into a trade agreement that prevents our government, or other governments, from putting in place rules that protect the environment, food safety or the health of American citizens or others around the world.”
