Following the approval of Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) legislation Wednesday afternoon (June 24), the Senate passed a bill renewing Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) and tariff preferences for developing countries, and moved to initiate a conference with the House to reconcile differences over a customs and enforcement bill. [posted June 24, 2015 | Inside U.S.…
As long as there have been trade deals, there have been proponents and opponents, and there have been winners and losers. There is rarely agreement on whether a deal is good or bad for the people. [Reposted from the News Blaze | Alan Gray | June 23, 2015] Has become apparent that Barack Obama has…
On Monday, June 15th, House Republican leadership announced that they had decided to delay the re-vote anytime up to July 30th on Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) which “fast tracks” ObamaTrade. Less than three days later, the opposition was blindsided by representatives in the House approving the standalone TPA bill by a close vote of 218…
Billings, Mont. – Today, R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard issued the following statement in response to U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow’s (D-MI) introduction of legislation that would repeal mandatory country of origin labeling (COOL) for muscle cuts of beef and pork and put in its place a completely voluntary labeling program. [Reposted from the R-CALF site …
WASHINGTON — President Obama’s success in rescuing his high-priority trade legislation from a rebellion by fellow Democrats strengthens his hand internationally and paves the way for completion of the most expansive economic agreement in generations. [Reposted from The New York Times | Peter Baker | June 24, 2015] While the turbulent process was embarrassing for…
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 23, 2015 Demand for Trade Change Hits New High Washington (June 23, 2015) – Michael Stumo, CEO of the Coalition for a Prosperous America (CPA) released the following statement: “The Senate narrowly approved a cloture motion to end debate on Fast Track today by a vote of 60-37. Three senators…
According to U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) has a big benefit: With a signed TPP, American-made goods will finally enjoy tariff-free access to consumers in countries like Vietnam, Malaysia, and Singapore. However, some tariffs will not be dropped immediately, but instead will be phased out over a number of years. [Reposted…
The Senate on Tuesday voted to advance President Obama’s trade agenda, approving a measure to end debate on fast-track authority. [Reposted from The Hill | Alexander Bolton | June 23, 2015] The 60-37 motion sets up a vote on final passage on Wednesday. If the Senate approves fast-track or trade promotion authority (TPA), it would…
Real gross domestic product — the value of the production of goods and services in the United States, adjusted for price changes — decreased at an annual rate of 0.2 percent in the first quarter of 2015, according to the “third” estimate released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. In the fourth quarter, real GDP…
Congress is about to give President Obama the authority to sign trade agreements that lawmakers will be able to vote up or down but not amend. Now, it is up to the administration to reach deals with other nations that live up to the high standards on labor rights, environmental protection, access to medicines and…
