WASHINGTON - The nation lost jobs for a sixth month in a row in June, a storm of pink slips drenching this year's July Fourth holiday for more than 60,000 Americans and leaving thousands more worried about the future.

Residents of the Midwest are only just starting to recover from record flooding that has caused extensive damage in seven states from Missouri up through Wisconsin. Heavy rains and tornados in June caused several major rivers, including the Mississippi, to break through levees, creating havoc throughout the region. Iowa has been particularly hard hit by the disaster.

Since NAFTA was passed in 1994, free trade agreements have cost the United States more than 1 million good-paying jobs, driven down global working and environmental standards and racked up a record federal trade deficit.

“Our current (trade) system has not worked, has not met past promises and has not served the interests of a majority of people across our country,” said Rep. Mike Michaud (D-Maine).