Business

GOP rep: US risks being ‘left behind’ if trade bill doesn’t pass

by Mark Hensch - 06/06/15 6:00 AM ET

Rep. Pat Tiberi (R-Ohio) on Saturday said passing Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) would help America maintain a competitive edge in the global economy.

“The world is changing and engaging like never before, and we must pass TPA so we will not be left behind,” Tiberi said in the GOP’s weekly address.

“If we pass TPA, we’ll be able to make agreements that give us access to one billion new customers,” he said.

{mosads}“And our workers will be able to compete for that business on a level playing field, where we know we can outwork anyone.”

Tiberi argued that authorizing TPA would benefit U.S. workers by making the Obama administration more transparent during future trade negotiations.

“The problem is, the way things work right now, President Obama can negotiate trade agreements on his own and in secret,” he said. “He doesn’t have to keep you or me informed.”

“TPA makes the president follow dozens of strict objectives in his negotiations so that your priorities come first – not his,” Tiberi added.

“If he doesn’t fulfill those obligations, we vote down the agreement. It’s that simple and straightforward.”

Tiberi also noted China’s growing economic strength as a major reason TPA was necessary for America’s future business dealings.

“The economy is changing,” he said. “China knows it, and with us on the sidelines, it is wring the rules of the global economy. They are working on agreements that exclude the United States and undercut our labor standards.”

TPA would give Obama fast-track authority to negotiate and authorize trade deals.

It would grant Congress an up-or-down vote on any potential trading pacts, all while prohibiting amendments and filibusters against them in the Senate.

Tiberi on Saturday praised TPA as a compromise with bipartisan appeal.

“You send us here to find common ground, and TPA unites Republicans and Democrats,” he said.

“It unites farmers, ranchers, manufacturers and small business owners,” Tiberi said. “It even unites Barack Obama and Ted Cruz.”

“Remember, American jobs, American growth and American leadership are all at stake,” he added. “So let’s get this one done.”

The Senate passed TPA in a vote last month.

Obama is currently pressuring House lawmakers, particularly Democrats, to vote in favor of granting him fast-track trading authority as soon as possible.

The president is hoping those powers would help him quickly approve a major trade pact with ten Pacific Rim nations known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).

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