Rep. Larsen Joins Small List of House Democratic TPA Supporters
President Barack Obama gained Trade Promotion Authority support from another House Democrat on May 28, as Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Wash., said he aims to vote in favor of the legislation (here). Larsen is a member of the New Democrat Coalition, which Obama has targeted as TPA supporters. Some onlookers say the number of House Democrats has now reached roughly a dozen and a half (here).
Sign up for a free preview to unlock the rest of this article
Timely, relevant coverage of court proceedings and agency rulings involving tariffs, classification, valuation, origin and antidumping and countervailing duties. Each day, Trade Law Daily subscribers receive a daily headline email, in-depth PDF edition and access to all relevant documents via our trade law source document library and website.
Republicans hold 246 seats in the House, meaning House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, can lose 28 caucus votes and still pass any legislation. The number of Republican defectors remains unclear, but some trade experts say only 25-30 may vote against TPA in the end (see 1504270008). In a statement, Larsen said the House is expected to take up the legislation in “early June,” following Senate passage before the Memorial Day recess (see 1505260014). Boehner's office has not said when a vote is expected in the chamber. The Senate will reconvene on May 31, and the House returns to the Capitol the next day.
Larsen argued increased trade will benefit the economy of the Washington State district he serves. He didn’t mention specifically the Trans-Pacific Partnership in his statement. Larsen praised new transparency measures in the 2015 TPA bill, as well as new labor and environmental standards.