Received this explanation from a Senator after sending a nastygram...
June 26, 2015
Dear Deerwhacker444,
Thank you for contacting me regarding trade promotion authority (TPA). I appreciate the time you took to inform me of your concerns.
Contrary to several circulating rumors, the TPA bill reinforces the authority of Congress, not the President, to establish our nation's trade priorities. Without the TPA legislation in place, the Administration and our trade negotiators are not required to adhere to trade objectives established by Congress.
Additionally, the TPA bill mandates that any trade proposal must return to Congress for a final vote. The House and Senate must still pass a final trade bill for any deal to become law, regardless of whether or not the President supports and signs a trade agreement. TPA legislation allows Members of Congress to formally articulate what should be in any and all trade deals by setting negotiating objectives for our trade representatives. For example, I authored an amendment to the TPA bill that requires U.S. trade negotiators to consider religious freedom conditions of any party to a potential trade deal. This is the first time in history religious freedom considerations have been considered in the context of trade. My amendment passed the Senate unanimously, 92-0.
Before Congress even considers a vote on any trade agreement (such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership, or "TPP," etc.), the Senate-passed TPA bill requires the President to publicly provide the entire text of any trade deal for 60 days. Congress must still pass any future implementing bill for each and every trade deal. All of the trade agreements are always public for at least two months.
Additionally, the term "fast-track" has implied the TPA is a means for the President to circumvent Congress. Despite the prevalence of this rumor, let me assure you the President does not have authority to make trade agreements without congressional approval.
The U.S. Senate passed the TPA bill on May May 22, 2015, and passed it a second time on June 24 after receiving a modified version from the House. Neither the House nor the Senate has considered any trade agreements yet, such as the TPP or the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). The House and Senate must each vote on an implementing trade bill before such pacts have any impact on U.S. trade law. Passage of the TPA does not guarantee passage of any future trade agreement .
Since the TPA was last renewed in 2002, U.S. goods exports have more than doubled to a record-high of almost $1.4 trillion in 2014. We also have a nearly $55 billion manufacturing trade surplus with the 20 countries with which we currently have a free-trade agreement (FTA). Approximately 47% of all U.S. exports went to those 20 FTA partners, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. When American workers are given a level playing field to compete, we have a proven record of success.
I will remain vigilant of the proposed trade agreements, and I will continue to consider them with your thoughts in mind. Before I can support any trade proposal, I must ensure the issues important to American workers and the people of Oklahoma are thoroughly discussed and adequately addressed. America has always been a nation that actively trades internationally. In fact, one of the grievances in the Declaration of Independence was King George's restriction on our international trade as colonies.
I take these issues very seriously and study the long-term consequences of legislation like this. I will continue to work for what is best for our nation. Your comments on this issue are important to me. For more information, please feel free to visit my website . Also, you can follow me on Twitter and Instagram (@SenatorLankford) or on Facebook for regular updates on my work in the U.S. Senate on behalf of all of us in Oklahoma.
In God We Trust,
