Froman, Perez to Brief House Democrats in Classified TPP Meeting
U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman and Labor Secretary Tom Perez will meet privately with House Democrats on March 18 for a classified briefing on the Trans-Pacific Partnership, said House Democratic staffers in recent days. Members are allowed to bring one staff member with clearance to view classified material, said the staffers.
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The Office of the USTR said the Obama administration has and will continue to share classified trade documents with all members of Congress. “And we are now embarking on a new series of briefings for Members and their staffs that go above and beyond past practices,” said a USTR spokesman. The administration is keeping the briefing classified because the talks are “sensitive” and “ongoing,” said an administration official. Many House Democrats oppose TPA and the Trans-Pacific Partnership, but Republicans in that chamber wield a strong majority and Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, can lose nearly 28 members on any vote. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., a major trade critic on Capitol Hill, recently voiced concern with restrictions for congressional review of trade agreement negotiating text (see 1503010004)..