Hatch, Senate Republicans Push Chamber to Move Forward with TPA
Senate Finance Chairman Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, urged colleagues to rally around Trade Promotion Authority legislation, in March 18 remarks on the Senate floor, but rejected calls to make fundamental changes to the TPA model already in place. Hatch said, though, he still aims to improve on the TPA bill he introduced last Congress in order to broad support among lawmakers.
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In late February, Hatch planned to hold a Finance hearing on trade but committee ranking member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., objected, calling the hearing "premature" (see 1502250075). Some observers have said the Wyden-Hatch TPA disagreement revolves around ways to remove the fast-track mechanisms in the bill if Congress considers the trade deals to be inconsistent with congressional directives (see 1503040015). Hatch dismissed calls for such changes in his March 18 remarks. "We do not need new, untested changes to established TPA procedures that can hamper the process and make it harder both for our negotiators to reach a good deal and for Congress to be able to vote an agreement up or down," he said, according to a transcript released by his office.
Several other Republicans took to the pulpit to voice support for TPA, as well. The U.S. has fallen "woefully behind" global competition in exporting goods to new markets, but “there’s bipartisan agreement, in principle at least" on the need to move forward with TPA, said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., in March 18 comments. “But the details will obviously be important," said McConnell, according to a transcript released by his office. "We want to ensure we get those details of that legislation right, so that we can get the best agreements possible for the American people." McConnell applauded Wyden for his commitment to striking a TPA deal.