Democrats Still Open to Trade Agenda, Despite TPA Rejection, Says Pelosi
The Democratic Party supports free trade, and the caucus’ opposition to Trade Promotion Authority legislation does not indicate opposition to President Barack Obama’s trade agenda, said House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif,, speaking at the House Democratic caucus retreat on Feb. 12. Pelosi responded to a question over her public rejection earlier in the day of the Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities Act, introduced in January by House Ways and Means Chairman Dave Camp, R-Mich., former Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., and Finance ranking member Orrin Hatch, R-Utah.
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“We weren’t talking about President Obama’s trade agenda. We were talking about Camp-Baucus. And I said then that Camp-Baucus in its present form is unacceptable to me. And I have worked with many of our colleagues to try to find some common ground. But in its present form it is unacceptable. That is not a rejection … of the president’s trade agenda. It’s a rejection of the current form of the Camp-Baucus,” said Pelosi at a press conference. “We are the party of John F Kennedy, a party of free trade … fair trade. And we believe the global economy is here to stay and we’re part of it. But as [Rep. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md.] put it, we want to export products overseas, not export jobs overseas.” Pelosi said tax reform is a primary mechanism to encourage domestic investment and job growth.