President Barack Obama has called on Congress to grant him fast-track trade authority for his Trans-Pacific Partnership free-trade agreement. The administration insists the authority, which would give Congress only an up-or-down vote on the agreement, is needed to get the best possible terms from its trade partners along the Pacific Rim. [Reposted from Reuters | …
The Interfaith Working Group on Trade and Investment – representing Quaker, Jewish, Protestant and Catholic organizations, – has written a letter in opposition to Fast Track Trade Promotion Authority. Here is their letter: February 17, 2015 Dear Representative/Senator: As religious bodies and faith-based organizations, we write today to ask you to oppose fast track trade…
House Ways & Means trade subcommittee Chairman Pat Tiberi (R-OH) last week indicated that efforts to build congressional support for a Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) or fast-track bill are facing challenges due to a more vocal opposition movement bolstered in part by social media and the notion among some Republicans that passing TPA amounts to…
WASHINGTON — A Democratic congressman has accused the Obama administration of dodging his request for “unimpeded” access to two controversial trade agreements — reigniting a dispute over transparency as the president presses legislators for so-called “fast-track” authority, which would block members of Congress from offering amendments to either deal. [Reposted from the Huffington Post | …
Editor’s Note: On Feb. 13, 2015 Congressman Mark Pocan (D-WI) introduced H.R. 967, a bill which would prohibit the president from entering into free trade agreements or investment treaties that include investor-state dispute settlement provisions. [Reposted from Inside US Trade | February 17, 2015] The twelve Democrats co-sponsoring the bill included: James McGovern (D-MA), Jan…
