Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Boehner blows up GOP over TPA

Do you realize that this countries economy (other than oil) depends almost entirely on foreign trade?

Here is the answer I received from our Rep. Like his predecessor, they tell us how it is--baked in the cake.

Thank you for contacting me to express your concerns with the Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability (TPA) Act of 2015. I appreciate hearing from you and welcome this opportunity to respond.

As U.S. companies look to expand, they often encounter steep trade barriers. Trade agreements are crafted in order to overcome obstacles to selling more American-made products and services overseas. It also means that we must establish strong and enforceable rules for our trading partners on important issues like currency manipulation, so American workers are competing on a level playing field. This will create more opportunity and more high-paying jobs here at home.

There is a lot of confusion about what exactly TPA is. TPA is not a trade deal. It is a partnership between Congress and the White House to secure the most effective trade agreements possible and to ensure that the American people know exactly what is in any agreement. Because the House passed TPA, you will be able to read the text of a trade deal for at least 60 days before Congress votes on it. Under the Constitution, the president can negotiate any trade deal he wants. TPA ensures that the President negotiates these deals within the 150 guidelines laid out by Congress. In the end, Congress has the constitutional authority to approve or reject any trade agreement.

It is important to recognize that TPA is not the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) or the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP). TPA will not approve either of these trade deals because no agreement currently exists. Because Congress passed TPA, American negotiators will have the leverage they need to complete the strongest deal for America. Again, as the U.S. participates in these conversations, our negotiators are bound to meet the requirements Congress laid out.

The TPP negotiations are America's best chance to ensure that U.S. businesses can remain competitive throughout the Asia-Pacific region. As nations in this region pursue new trade accords among themselves, we must achieve a comprehensive, high-standard, and commercially meaningful trade and investment agreement for U.S. companies doing business in the Asia-Pacific region. The TPP has the potential to strengthen our nation's commercial, strategic, and geopolitical ties across one of the fastest growing parts of the world. If the U.S. does not set the rules for this region, China will.

TTIP, a potential trade agreement between the United States and the European Union, would be the world's largest free-trade deal, covering about 50 percent of global economic output, 30 percent of global trade, and 20 percent of global foreign direct investment. It is estimated that a pact could boost economic growth in both the U.S. and EU by more than $100 billion a year.

TPA is a tool for Congress to hold the President accountable. If he does not follow the rules established by Congress, there will be no trade agreements. I will be monitoring this situation with my colleagues to ensure that these negotiations are in the interest of American workers and jobs and will keep your suggestions in mind.

Again, thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts with me. Please do not hesitate to call or write me in the future.


Sincerely,
Bill Huizenga
Member of Congress

I'm just discussing current events.

It's not my fault that Cruz stepped in chit.

Thanks for posting. Union guys don't care.

I support Cruz, but you're the only one that's infatuated with him. Why is that?

"Sides" defined by civil war terms are hardly adequate to describe to loss of our personal freedom via the butt buddy relationship going on between our elected officials and global corporations/central banks.

I'm talking about the TPA. Cruz is significant in that. So is Boehner,..so is Paul Ryan.

Some good info:

http://www.thenewamerican.com/usnew...m_term=0_8ca494f2d2-33c50f4cbb-289818721

"Fast Track"
"You have to pass it to read it"


Sound familiar?

At this time, looks like TPA passes Senate, 60 to 38

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,

So what do you think about the fact that he voted for it?

I think all my representation in Congress blow goats. Both of my Senators and Rep voted for it.

Don't care what the bill was about, they should have the guts to say "no" to anything that is being kept from public view. If the constituents are kept from being informed, how can they represent the constituents.?

I wonder if the man actually read the bill before voting on it, or was told that was in it. Does he really know this? I am still with the belief that contracts/laws that will effect millions of Americans should be read before signing.

Exactly, if We the people don't know what is in it, how can they represent what we want?