Club for Growth to key-vote trade amendments

The conservative Club for Growth is urging senators to oppose a program to help workers displaced by expanded trade and a proposal addressing currency manipulation.

The group issued key vote alerts on Wednesday and pushed for a “yes” vote on Sen. Jeff Flake’s (R-Ariz.) amendment that would strike the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) bill from a fast-track measure that would grant President Obama broad powers to negotiate and complete global trade agreements. 

The Club also is calling on senators to vote “no” on Republican Sen. Rob Portman’s (Ohio) currency amendment, which has bipartisan support from lawmakers including fellow Ohio Sen. Sherrod Brown (D). 

{mosads}The Club for Growth supports trade promotion authority (TPA), or fast track, because “we believe that it is both constitutional and can lead to the passage of pro-growth trade agreements,” said Andy Roth, the group’s vice president of government affairs in a note to congressional lawmakers. 

“But this bill includes the wasteful TAA welfare program in an attempt to buy Democrat votes,” Roth said. 

“This is the sort of political logrolling that appalls American taxpayers, just like the unholy marriage of farm subsidies and food stamps.”

Votes are expected sometime this week. 

The group also targeted the currency amendment calling it “a protectionist rider that will incite a trade war and do harm to the economy.”

“Senators devoted to free trade and free markets should demand that TPA be voted on as a standalone measure without being weighed down by protectionist language or an inefficient, big government program,” Roth said.