[Daily News | November 09, 2016 |Inside US Trade]
In the aftermath of Donald Trump’s victory, Trans-Pacific Partnership opponents and proponents alike see the Pacific trade deal as effectively dead — citing the president-elect’s opposition to it and the unwillingness of Republican congressional leaders to bring up the controversial deal for a vote in a lame-duck session.
House Ways & Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-TX) said in a statement that while the administration is “working to address members’ concerns about TPP,” it has not completed its work. “As a result, this important agreement is not ready to be considered during the lame-duck and will remain on hold until President Trump decides the path forward,” he said. “We will work closely with the new Administration on this effort.”
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), in a press conference the day after the election, reiterated his reluctance to consider the deal in the lame-duck — stressing Trump’s opposition to it, but making clear, as he has before, that Trade Promotion Authority will allow the new president to negotiate trade agreements and send them to Congress for expedited up-or-down votes.
“[TPP] is certainly not gonna be brought up this year,” McConnell told reporters on Nov. 9. “And it would be up to discussions with the new president — I think the president-elect has made it pretty clear he’s not in favor of the current agreement. But he has the latitude, because TPA is in place through the next administration, to negotiate better deals, as I think he would put it, if he chooses to, and sending them up to us for an expedited up-or-down vote.”
