Governors Push Congressional Leaders to Support Trade Agreements

A group of 15 governors urged Congressional leadership and President Barack Obama to give their support to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and the Trade in Services Agreement in a Dec. 23 letter. The letter, sent to Obama, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., Speaker of the House John Boehner, R-Ohio, and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said the trade deals will help drive increased market access. "Reductions in trade barriers and increased market access allows our businesses, workforce, agricultural producers, and service sectors to compete on a more level playing field to help drive economic growth and increase family incomes," they said. "We are encouraged by the comprehensive nature of these agreements, but we do want to underscore that the primary purpose of the agreements should be to increase market access, including improved access for US agricultural and manufactured goods abroad, while establishing ambitious rules to protect intellectual property, empower American workers, ensure fair competition with state-owned enterprises, and foster the digital economy."