October 08,2015

Press Contact:

Aaron Fobes, Julia Lawless (202)224-4515

TPP: Time For Rigorous Review

TPP: Time For Rigorous Review

Bipartisan Trade Promotion Authority Gives Congress and the Public Time to Thoroughly Examine the Trans-Pacific Partnership

With the Obama Administration’s announcement that negotiations for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement have concluded, a number of questions and concerns have been raised.  What’s in the deal? What does it mean for America’s job-creators, workers, and farmers? And, what does it mean for the future of the American economy?

Fortunately, Congress and the American people are armed with a powerful tool to inspect the deal – bipartisan Trade Promotion Authority (TPA).

TPA was signed into law to give lawmakers and the American people the transparency tools necessary to ensure trade agreements meet congressionally-mandated standards and objectives.  

With TPA, members of Congress and the public will have time to thoroughly examine TPP - all before the agreement is even submitted to Congress for formal consideration. 

After all, TPA makes clear the administration must take a series of targeted steps to ensure the Trans-Pacific Partnership meets Congress’s standards. 

These steps help establish that Congress will have adequate time to thoroughly review the agreement and that the implementing legislation to the agreement adheres to Congressional prerogatives. It is the expected that legislation implementing will be developed in close coordination between the President and Congress, and that Congress will conduct hearings, informal markups, and informal conferences (as needed) before formal transmittal of TPP to Congress.

Here are a few key elements of Congressional review:

 

###