Congress is Able to Secure TPP Without TPA, Says CATO Trade Analyst
The absence of Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) will not hamper progress in finalizing Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations, despite conventional wisdom that suggests otherwise, said CATO Institute trade policy analyst William Watson in a Jan. 8 blog post. Moreover, TPA passage prior to the conclusion of TPP negotiations may limit the flexibilities U.S. negotiators are able to exercise in making sensitive concessions, said Watson. The notion that TPA guarantees smooth passage of implementation legislation through Congress is also a false presumption, said Watson.
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“We shouldn’t forget that those same House Democrats, when they were in charge in 2007, ignored the previous fast track arrangement, demanded major changes to already completed agreements, and refused ever to hold a vote on agreements with Colombia, Korea, and Panama,” said Watson. “So if trade promotion authority convinces U.S. trading partners that Congress won’t obstruct or meddle with the agreement, they haven’t been paying attention. Senate Democrats are much friendlier toward trade and Republicans hold a majority in the House. It’s hard to imagine this Congress refusing to hold a vote on the TPP even without trade promotion authority.”