U.S. Chamber Tells Congress to Renew TPA

WASHINGTON, D.C.—The United States Chamber of Commerce urged swift congressional action to grant the President unfettered authority to advance the U.S. trade agenda, during testimony before the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Trade.

"As anyone in business knows, you don't negotiate with people who are not in a position to keep their promises," said Thomas Donohue, Chamber president and CEO. "Our trading partners must feel confident that U.S. negotiators have the full backing of the U.S. government, and that Congress won't try to undermine free trade agreements by adding controversial and unrelated amendments."

Renewing the President's trade promotion authority is critical because the United States is rapidly losing ground in the free trade arena. With more than 130 regional free trade agreements in force globally, the United States is party to just two, according to the World Trade Organization, and while Western European nations have negotiated 909 bilateral investment treaties, the United States is party to only 43.

"This country can no longer afford to sit on the sidelines while our competitors are busy cutting deals with one another," said Donohue. "America must re-engage global markets, and the President must have trade promotion authority for that to happen."

With trade promotion authority, Congress agrees to grant the President an up-or-down vote, without amendments and within a specified period of time, on agreements negotiated between the United States and its trading partners. Every president from Gerald Ford through Bill Clinton has enjoyed this authority.

Trade promotion authority must not be encumbered by extraneous labor and environmental provisions, Donohue added. "Trade agreements are already difficult enough to achieve and could become impossible if negotiations become loaded down with non-trade issues," he said. "The Chamber will oppose any agreement that includes labor and environmental provisions and accompanying sanctions in the agreement."

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world's largest business federation, representing more than three million businesses and organizations of every size, sector, and region.

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