Senate

Dem slams trade legislation

by Jordain Carney - 04/20/15 7:42 PM ET

Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) slammed trade legislation on Monday, suggesting that it will “end up fast tracking more jobs overseas.”

The Ohio Democrat suggested that the legislation, which he called one of this decade’s “most consequential changes” to economic policy, is being rushed through the Senate.

{mosads}”Little media attention, little scrutiny by committees, little discussion from leadership,” he said. “Last week we were called into a rushed legislative session hearing on fast track and on a trade package with little notice and no bill to see.”

He added that senators got 13 hours notice for the committee meeting, when they are on average given a week.

Brown is one of a handful of Democrats who are raising concerns about legislation introduced last week to give President Obama fast-track authority to push new trade deals through Congress with up-or-down votes. The Democrats say lawmakers should slow down and take more time to consider the legislation.

Brown and other Democrats worry that the proposal could eventually lead to trade deals that hurt American workers, potentially costing them their jobs.

“We owe these workers more than rushed hearings. We owe them more than a rubber stamped deal,” he said. “When they want to fast track legislation, they want to fast track this fast-track legislation so they can pass more trade agreements that outsource jobs.”

The Finance Committee is expected to take up the trade legislation Wednesday.

Brown said that senators should use the time until the committee’s meeting to “ask tough questions.”

“I urge my colleagues in the next couple of days to ask the tough questions, demand answers from the U.S. trade representative who told us little and has given us even less access to these trade agreements,” he said. “To say no to a trade deal that will end up fast tracking more jobs overseas.”

Tags Sherrod Brown