The Senate vote on cloture for Fast Track "Trade Promotion Authority" aka TPA for the Trans Pacific Partnership aka TPP, and all similar so-called “Free Trade” agreements for the next six years, is scheduled for today Tues Jue 23. Please call your Senators this morning. Congressional switchboard: (202) 224-3121.
Some talking points: 1) All Senate Democrats except Carper voted to filibuster against cloture on May 12 when Fast Track TPA was presented without a link to Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA). 41 votes are needed to derail fast track and prevent a train wreck for labor, environment and democracy. The Democratic Caucus has 46 members including independents Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Angus King (I-ME)
2) Dems should hold to that position unless and until A) the current working text, including bracketed items not agreed to, of TPP (Trans Pacific Partnership) as well TISA (Trade in Services Agreement) and TTIP (Trans Atlantic Trade & Investment Partnership) is made public. Public means public, not a locked room with no notes allowed, AND B) a satisfactory package of TAA, and other related bills that Democrats want, has been passed in identical form by both Houses.
3) The fast track does not allow enough time for a thorough examination of a very long text full of fine print written over years in consultation with highly paid and experienced corporate lawyer-lobbyists. Four words in the long text of the Affordable Care Act could be used to deprive millions of Americans of health coverage. These complex agreements need to be studied VERY carefully, over an extended period of time, with many hearings including input from organizations of all stakeholders.
4) The track record of so called "free" so called "trade" agreements has been the export of millions of living wage jobs net after considering domestic jobs added.
5) TPP like NAFTA etc would subordinate environmental, labor and health protections to corporate profits by requiring them to be the "least trade restrictive". The floodgates would open for currently restricted export of fracked gas.
6) Under the Investor/State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) rules of NAFTA and such agreements, continued by TPP, controversies would be decided by international tribunals consisting of panels of "trade experts", mostly corporate lawyers, amounting to corporate kangaroo courts, with no rules against conflict of interest, and no appeal. Thes tribunals have consistently ruled in favor of transnational corporations against environmental laws and regulations, as Lori Wallach of Public Citizen's Global Tradewatch has documented.