Democratic Lawmakers Reject Poor Congressional Consultation in TPA Legislation
The Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities Act fails to provide for congressional consultation and oversight in trade negotiations, doesn't improve access to negotiating information and lacks strong mechanisms that mandate negotiating objectives are fulfilled, said a group of 12 Democratic Senators in a Jan. 15 letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. The letter preceded a Jan. 16 hearing on the legislation, regarded as the 2014 iteration of Trade Promotion Authority (see 14011616). The inclusion of Trade Adjustment Assistance in an omnibus final bill is positive, said the letter, but the legislation must improve provisions that strengthen U.S. industry.
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“A large trade package should also include provisions to promote our nation’s competitiveness. For instance, for far too long our trade policies have hurt our domestic manufacturing sector instead of helping it,” said the Senators. “We must not allow our global competitors to continue challenging American leadership in manufacturing and innovation. We believe any package should include provisions to address currency manipulation, stronger mechanisms to address unfair labor practices, the ability of communities to preserve their values, strong trade enforcement policies and should provide innovative solutions to finance improvements to our crumbling infrastructure.” Some Democratic lawmakers expressed opposition to the legislation in the immediate wake of its Jan. 9 introduction, including House Ways and Means ranking member Sander Levin, D-Mich., who vowed to introduce alternate legislation (see 14011013).
The legislation will foster increased unemployment in the U.S. and erode domestic wages, said Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif., during Jan. 15 debate on the House floor. “The notion that Congress should provide a rubber stamp for a complex free trade agreement is simply irresponsible and dangerous to our economy and to our constituents. They elected us to provide a voice in all of these policies, so to shut the Congress out of having that seat at the table, to me, is downright undemocratic,” said Lee, while criticizing current negotiating principles in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). “The TPP would lock in higher prices for popular drugs, threatening access to life-saving medicines, including HIV/AIDS drugs, for millions of poor and low-income individuals and families around the world.”
Email ITTNews@warren-news.com for a copy of the floor transcript.