Teamsters join other foes of fast-tracking the Trans-Pacific Partnership treaty in
presenting a petition to Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden, who is a key backer of TPP.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Thursday set the first test vote on fast-track legislation for the Trans-Pacific Partnership. If that legislation sought by the Obama administration ultimately passes, it will limit Congress to an up or down vote with no amendments to the highly disputed 12-nation trade pact that is in the final stages of years-long negotiations. The test will come Tuesday afternoon in a procedural vote to end debate on a motion to proceed on a House bill on tax exemptions. The Senate will employ that legislation as the means for addressing fast-track.
Jordain Carney reports:
But McConnell is facing some pushback within his own party over the legislation.
Sen. Jeff Sessions suggested Thursday that he remains skeptical of the legislation, adding that he recently wrote a letter to President Obama on the subject.
“We are going to agree in advance before we see the completed treaty, before it's made public, to allow this agreement to pass. ... I think that's a big ask for Congress,” he said.
As Sessions's remarks illustrate, among congressional Democrats and Republicans, both rank-and-file and leaders are split on fast-tracking. Democratic Sens. Patty Murray of Washington and Ron Wyden or Oregon are strong backers. But Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York and Minority Leader Harry Reid are adamantly against it. Reid opposed fast-tracking when it was brought up in January 2014. He is now not just speaking against it but also
promoting an anti-fast-track petition drive with six other Democratic senators—Tammy Baldwin (WI), Sherrod Brown (OH), Al Franken (MN), Gary Peters (MI), Brian Schatz (HI), Tom Udall (NM). In a letter backing the effort, Reid wrote:
NAFTA displaced almost 700,000 American jobs. CAFTA caused more than 500,000 job losses.
Since I’ve always put American jobs first, I’ve never supported a trade agreement. I’m certainly not going to support authority to move trade agreements through Congress faster.
Opposition to fast-tracking and the TPP itself has also been the focus of several grassroots organizations, including the
Electronic Frontier Foundation,
Popular Resistance and
Public Citizen.
Join us in signing and sending a petition to your House members: No fast-track approval for a bad trade deal that is not in the best interests of America’s workers and consumers.