Below is a list of editorials from across the United States regarding President Obama’s trade agenda and how trade benefits their diverse communities.
This demonstrates a strong non-partisan consensus from newspaper editorial boards in areas from every region of the country, which jibes with what numerous recent public polls are now showing as far as the American public having strongly positive views toward expanding trade. Read more here.
Los Angeles Times, 6/10/2015: “California has an enormous and diverse economy, but trade plays an integral role in some of its strongest sectors. The nation's five metropolitan areas with the largest agricultural exports are all in California…A fast-track measure wouldn't dictate the terms of future trade agreements; it would merely tell the administration what Congress wants to see in them, while reserving the right to deny fast-track treatment to any deal that falls short. Lawmakers would also retain the power to vote down trade agreements they don't like. With so much at stake for California, lawmakers here should join the Obama administration in supporting a bipartisan fast-track bill, then make sure the White House meets the goals they set.”
Washington Post, 6/10/2015: “For much of the postwar era, free trade was a bipartisan cause. Significant numbers of Democratic lawmakers recognized that the benefits exceed the costs and cast votes in favor of the trade-expanding agendas of both Republican and Democratic presidents. To these Democrats, progressivism included embracing the forces of global economic change and seeking to channel them in America’s favor — and in favor of the developing world. On balance, the expansion of prosperity both in the United States and abroad has vindicated this view.”
USA Today, 6/8/2015: “Rejection of the Asia-Pacific agreement would also be a rebuke to Democratic voters, who see trade, on balance, as a good thing that fosters innovation, competition, export-related jobs and lower prices.…The deal would promote American intellectual property, high-tech, financial services and other industries. Its impact on manufacturing would be limited because American manufacturers have grown more efficient and less vulnerable to overseas competition. The deal would also help instill a Western approach to capitalism by placing limits on state-sponsored industries. If it's not approved, Asian nations would likely seek a trade deal with China, one that would not include the Americas and would be much more amenable to China's point of view.”
Omaha World Herald, 6/8/2015: “Opportunities are opening up because a growing number of developing countries have embraced market-based economic systems and because countries continue to knock down barriers to international trade. By 2030, it is estimated that the world will be home to some 5 billion people living in middle-class conditions. Two-thirds of those middle-class households will be in Asia. That’s more than 3 billion people….This background is why U.S. presidential administrations, regardless of party, energetically pursue trade negotiations with Asian countries. The most recent result is the Trans-Pacific Partnership now being debated in Congress. The rise of a global middle class on an unprecedented scale offers big export opportunities for our country. It’s in our interest to pursue them.”
Everett Daily Herald, 6/8/2015: “Trade bills must pass Congress… Three votes yet to be taken in Congress — two in the House and one in the Senate — will have a significant impact on jobs and the economy in Washington state and for the rest of the nation. And both are meeting resistance from a bipartisan coalition in both chambers of Congress suspicious of business. Those suspicious aren't always without merit, except in the case of the two pieces of legislation involved here: renewal of Trade Promotion Authority for the president and the reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank. Both are important for the country and for Washington state, whose economy is heavily dependent on trade as we seek markets for our planes, software, wine, apples and more. Exports in the state totaled $91 billion in 2014, and 4 in 10 jobs in the state are tied to trade.”
Washington Post, 5/23/2015 – Senate’s trade vote was a victory for truth: “The Senate did many things by approving trade-promotion authority; first and foremost, it returned U.S. negotiators to the bargaining table fully empowered to cut their best deal on behalf of the American people. What the upper house decidedly did not do, however, was bless some nefarious, corporate-controlled secret process that’s bound to result in job destruction for the United States — much demonizing rhetoric of the bill’s opponents to the contrary notwithstanding. As the administration has repeatedly, and correctly, pointed out, members of Congress have and will continue to have ample opportunity to inform themselves about the content of the TPP long before they have to vote on it. The vast bulk of the trade affected by the deal would be with high-wage, high-labor-standard countries such as Japan, Australia and Canada. If approved, the TPP would fortify a U.S.-Japan strategic relationship that is vital to checking undue Chinese influence in Asia.”
New York Daily News, 5/17/2015 – A good deal for America, the Trans-Pacific Partnership will enhance trade: “The deal would also strengthen U.S. economic ties with Japan, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam, usefully balancing China’s influence in the Asian economy. As an established hub of international commerce, New York stands to gain more than its share of the benefit. The Partnership for New York City reports that trade with TPP countries accounts for 25% of the metro region’s exports — and can be expected to flourish if the deal is signed. Every $1 billion of additional exports translates into 5,800 jobs, in a sector that pays 10% to 20% more than average….The city and country have too much to gain from the Trans-Pacific Partnership for its elected representatives to be standing in the way.”
Orlando Sentinel, 5/17/2015 – Bolster president's trade power: “…we hope strong majorities in both chambers will vote to grant Obama this authority — not for his sake, but to give America its best shot at prospering in the global economy. The volume of trade in goods and services across borders keeps growing, and America's economic competitors have been taking advantage of it by reaching their own agreements. Those pacts will give their companies preferential access to burgeoning markets abroad if the U.S. doesn't keep up….Legislation to make better trade agreements possible is especially worthy of support for Florida's congressional delegation. Last year the Sunshine State exported $58.6 billion in goods, more than double the total from 10 years earlier, according to Commerce. Exports supported 270,000 jobs in Florida. And more than 60,000 businesses in Florida — 95 percent of them small or medium-sized — sold products abroad in 2013.”
Cleveland Plain Dealer, 5/16/2015 – Senate wise to move ahead on fast-track trade authority: “A well-constructed trade agreement can be an overall benefit to the U.S. economy as long as proper worker and environmental safeguards are in place. The Obama administration contends that is the case with the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a deal U.S. trade negotiators hope to reach with 11 countries later this year. Trade Promotion Authority is considered critical to reaching such agreements because it would avoid the deal-killing threat of politically motivated congressional alterations after all compromises were reached. As long as the Obama administration proceeds with transparency and diligence in communicating the details of any trade agreements it negotiates, members of Congress can exercise their oversight by being able to cast well-informed up-or-down votes on the full measure. As the editorial board has stated previously, the Obama administration should be given such authority.”
Sacramento Bee, 5/16/2015 – Give Asia-Pacific trade deal a chance: “…Congress should allow the administration to proceed to the final negotiations by granting fast-track authority – the issue that is before lawmakers now. While fellow Democrats are right to push Obama for more aid for displaced workers at home and more protections for labor and the environment abroad, those priorities don’t have to be deal killers. For his part, Obama must be more open about what’s in the agreement; the secrecy shrouding the negotiations fans critics’ concerns about food safety and corporate influence. If done right, however, this deal could shape U.S. trade policy for the 21st century – and boost California’s economy. The state’s $174 billion in exports last year led the nation, and California also leads the states in exports to Asia. Three of California’s top four export markets – Mexico, Canada and Japan – are part of the 12-nation TPP, whose members account for more than 40 percent of the state’s total exports.”
Houston Chronicle, 5/15/2015 – Trade history: “The global order is changing, and conservative, cautious policies will only allow the United States to slip from our leadership role. As once-emerging economies become powerhouses, Congress should strengthen our core position in the global order by approving the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership….As plenty of politicians and pundits have been asking during trade negotiations: Who will write the rules for the global economy, the United States or China?... A city that runs on trade means living in shifting sands and it falls upon our political leaders to help keep us on top. If we don't pursue those international ties, then Houston may end up spending the 21st century fishing alone.”
Everett Herald, 5/15/2015 – Move forward with trade bill: “It still faces a long slog, but after a defeat on a procedural vote in the Senate earlier in the week, a trade bill that could be a major benefit to Washington state jobs appears to again be moving forward….We've shared these numbers before, but this is why this is important to Washington: Many of our jobs — 4 in 10 — are reliant on trade. As China looks to increase its trade position in the Pacific Rim it will be important for the United States to have deals in place with major trading partners around the rim, including Australia, Japan and Canada.”
Tampa Tribune, 5/14/2015 – Bumpy detour for fast track: “[Trade Promotion Authority] is critical to approving the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a 12-nation trade pact that includes about 40 percent of the world’s economy and would tremendously advance trade opportunities for the United States.…Free trade is critical to the country’s future prosperity. As Sanchez likes to point out, 95 percent of the world’s consumers live outside the United States. Moreover, free-trade agreements enable the United States to persuade other nations to adopt human rights and environmental protections that level the trade playing field. American workers are the most productive and innovative in the world. They needn’t fear global competition. The deal reached late Wednesday appears to rescue the president’s trade plan. Now Obama needs to aggressively work to persuade his fellow Democrats that protectionism ultimately will relegate the nation — and his party — to second-class status.”
Baltimore Sun, 5/14/2015 – Fast-track's Senate stall: “President Obama, whom Americans have entrusted with the nation's actual economy and not merely with fashioning compelling political slogans about it, knows that a reduction of tariffs and other trade barriers around the Pacific Rim is not only in the best economic interests of the United States but advances critical national security concerns in China's backyard as well.…Instead of whining, advocates can put themselves to better use making the case to the American public for Economics 101 and why the U.S., including the working class, stands to benefit substantially from a reasonable, thoughtful and multilateral reduction in the obstacles to foreign trade.”
Minneapolis Star-Tribune, 5/14/2015 – Trade vote has foreign policy implications for U.S., Obama: “Obama’s international standing was temporarily weakened at home, too, with Tuesday’s unnecessary rejection of Senate debate on trade promotion authority (or fast track), which would give Congress an up-or-down vote — with no negotiation or amendments — on free-trade agreements.…For its part, China, which is not party to the TPP, is aggressively negotiating bilateral trade pacts and has convinced several U.S. allies to join the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, which is considered a rival to the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, where the U.S. and Japan have more influence. T-TIP would not only economically solidify transatlantic relationships, but diplomatic ones, too, which is important as the West contends with Russian aggression. Trade promotion authority does not mean a ‘yes’ vote for the TPP or T-TIP. But continual ‘no’ votes might mean that world leaders look at America differently, or even beyond it.”
Akron Beacon Journal, 5/14/2015 – On the fast track, where the president belongs: “Consider that the partnership represents a key element of the president’s worthy “pivot” to Asia. It would serve as a counter to Chinese influence, Beijing with its own ideas about shared rules for trade, almost surely less favorable. The agreement would open doors to selling American goods and services to a rapidly expanding Asian middle class.…Once an agreement is complete, countries will have the necessary time weigh and judge its content. That is why the president deserves clean fast-track authority — so he can bring a finished product to Capitol Hill. The country must do better in responding to globalization and income inequality, via such avenues as training and education, the tax code and wage insurance. What doesn’t make sense is denying companies and their workers wider access to overseas markets, so they can increase sales and even add jobs.”
Albuquerque Journal, 5/13/2015 – NM senators miss chance to tilt trade toward U.S.: “If you make items out of iron or steel in New Mexico and try to sell them to folks in Vietnam, you face a 15 percent tariff. Plastics and auto parts get at least a 20 percent tariff in Malaysia, and cheese products are assessed almost 30 percent in Japan. In addition to that cost, which you likely tack on to your product, you face mandatory trips to these Trans-Pacific Partnership countries, long delays in customs and mountains of paperwork to get your product to those markets. And yet, all of these items are in the state’s top 20 list of exports, according to the U.S. Census. All are part of the reason New Mexico is No. 1 in export-related job growth – 16,500 total jobs last year. In fact, one out of every two New Mexico exports goes to a TPP country, according to the U.S. Trade Representative Office. Imagine what the export totals could be if the tariffs and red tape were cut.:
Chicago Tribune, 5/12/2015 – Grow Illinois jobs, back Obama on Pacific trade: “As a center for agriculture, manufacturing and services, Illinois is a state with a lot of exports — and even more export potential. International trade is a major part of our economy. So it's not surprising that a president from here would push to expand trade opportunities by negotiating with other countries to open up their markets….Goods exported from Illinois, says the Illinois Business Roundtable, "have grown more than three times faster than state GDP since 2003." More than 1 in 5 jobs here depend on exports or imports, and in the past decade, jobs in those companies grew 7.5 times faster than overall employment. Illinois is famous for large companies that do a lot of business abroad, such as Abbott Laboratories, Caterpillar, Boeing and Archer Daniels Midland. But they have no monopoly on exporting. Some 23,000 Illinois firms, most of them small or medium-sized, have sales abroad.”
Denver Post, 5/12/2015 – Moment of truth for Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal: “With the U.S. Senate poised this week to debate and vote on whether to give President Obama ‘fast-track authority’ to finish a trade deal with 11 nations across the Pacific Rim, Colorado's two senators are bucking a rising tide of short-sighted protectionism. Both, to their credit, intend to support fast-track authority for an up-or-down vote in Congress on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) deal….Despite reservations among many Democrats (and some Tea Party type Republicans), the Obama administration seems to appreciate the magnitude of the moment and is going to the mat for fast track authority. The president has even taken to rebuking members of his own party, such as Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, for making misleading claims against the TPP. Let's hope the full Senate has been listening.”
San Diego Union-Tribune, 5/7/2015 – San Diego delegation must see the light on free trade: “San Diego is working hard to be a major player in the global economy, particularly with Asia. It can only get there under free-trade policies that level the playing field for American workers and companies and that open up foreign markets to American goods. San Diego’s congressional delegation must see the light on trade and do what’s right for the economy of this region, not kowtow to the protectionist special interests.”
USA Today, 5/4/2015 – Trade deal vs. fact-free uproar: “A major agreement is going to happen, one way or another. China is pushing an alternative plan, one that does not include any countries in the Americas, and that Asian countries would turn to if the trans-Pacific deal falls through. That approach would freeze U.S. exporters out of the fastest growing region in the world. It would also enhance China's economic power and its influence over its neighbors. The pan-Pacific deal, on the other hand, would help the U.S. retain a key role in the region, while promoting competition that would give consumers more choices and lower costs….No one wants Congress to stifle technology because it has so many upsides. Trade has upsides as well, for exporters of high-tech goods, software, pharmaceuticals, agricultural goods and more. It's time for the U.S. to set aside petty concerns and stand up for its strategic interests. The Trans-Pacific Partnership shouldn't even be a close call.”
Bloomberg View, 5/2/2015 – A Fake Debate Over Trade Talks: “By their very nature, treaty negotiations are usually classified until they're finished. If they weren't, countries wouldn't hand over proprietary data and take political risks. Moreover, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative says it has held about 1,700 meetings on TPP with lawmakers and their staffs.…A couple of years ago, it was a valid argument that the Obama administration was being excessively secretive about the TPP. That is no longer so. Now, the secrecy debate is drowning out any discussion of how the deal plays to U.S. strengths by opening doors to its flourishing agricultural and service sectors. The agreement would make it easier for U.S. companies to compete abroad by limiting government subsidies to state-owned enterprises. No less important, it would bring participating countries closer to U.S. environmental and labor standards.”
The Oregonian, 4/30/2015 – The middle class deserves more attention: “Despite all the attention that has fallen on efforts to increase the minimum wage, many on both sides of the debate acknowledge that raising the minimum is at most one step toward addressing middle-class economic problems. Restoring hope to those who reside in the broad middle of the American economy requires something much more difficult: creating more jobs that would demand a wage of more than $15 an hour no matter what wage the government mandates.…Approval of Trade Promotion Authority, and ultimately the Trans-Pacific Partnership, is critical to rural Oregon's other legacy industry – agriculture. Many of Oregon's top agricultural products are sold in Asian markets. And benefits would accrue to urban areas also. Eight of Oregon's top 12 export markets would be part of the TPP. These are not new issues, but the Legislature and Congress should view them with urgency.”
Minneapolis Star Tribune, 4/30/2015 – Shinzo Abe address highlights U.S.-Japan 'alliance of hope': “The U.S.-Japan relationship, Abe said, is ‘an alliance of hope.’…Economic growth is also important for each country’s security, and the U.S. and Japan, as well as 10 other Pacific nations, stand to gain from dynamic free trade. In fact, the strategic value of the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) free-trade agreement is “awesome,” Abe told Congress. Abe and President Obama, a strong TPP supporter despite the reticence of many congressional Democrats, signaled progress in the negotiations. Congress could provide an essential assist by approving Trade Promotion Authority, which would allow ample time to analyze the pact before an eventual up-or-down vote. Passing TPP — and advancing defense ties — would be concrete accomplishments of Obama’s pivot to Asia.”
Washington Post, 4/28/2015 – With Japanese leader’s visit, a chance to look back and move forward: “Now, like Germany, Japan is gingerly moving toward a more assertive role in the world, in ways that other democracies in Asia ought to welcome. Mr. Abe is seeking to reinterpret Japan’s ‘peace constitution,’ unchanged since Americans wrote it during the postwar occupation, to allow Japan to aid allies, including the United States and South Korea, in times of need. He has reached out to Australia, India and other democracies while China seeks to expand its influence in the service of a very different political philosophy. He also is negotiating a free-trade agreement with the United States and 10 other Pacific nations that, if he delivers and Congress does not torpedo the deal, could further open Japan’s lucrative markets to U.S. products.”
Chicago Daily Herald, 4/28/15 – Let trade talks move forward: “If, in the end, the final agreement is unacceptable to any in Congress, they can then vote to defeat it. But President Obama's fast-track authority should be approved so that he and his trade representatives, working within Congress' stated limits, can make a deal that promotes the state's and nation's economy and protects our interests.”
Portage Daily Register, 4/27/15 – Congress should pass 'fast track' on trade: “Trade Promotion Authority is needed to complete to the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership. By failing to act, it would “mean passing on increased global trade with the 95 percent of consumers living in other countries. That’s a debate worth having. Congress should grant the president Trade Promotion Authority.”
Washington Post, 4/26/15 – Mr. Obama’s trade fight: “With a furious political battle over trade looming on Capitol Hill, it’s high time Mr. Obama personally and aggressively took on the phony arguments that “progressives” are marshalling in a desperate attempt to block trade measures whose merits would withstand honest scrutiny.”
The Boston Herald, 4/26/15 – Yes to 'Fast Track': “Fast-track authority has been used by presidents of both parties. The latest version contains improvements - for instance, the text of any agreement has to be public 90 days before a vote. The bill specifies almost 150 negotiating objectives (not all of which will be achieved) including protections for intellectual property. Members will be entitled to progress reports on negotiations and Congress can kill the talks at any time.”
Minneapolis Star Tribune, 4/24/15 – Congress should pass 'fast track' on trade: “The trade debate won’t stop with passage of TPA. But not passing fast-track could mean passing on increased global trade with the 95 percent of consumers living in other countries. That’s a debate worth having. Congress should grant the president Trade Promotion Authority.”
The Columbian, 4/23/15 – In Our View: Put Trade On Fast Track: “Boasting what remains, by far, the world's largest economy, the United States — and the state of Washington, in particular — has more to gain than to fear from open international trade. Because of that, Congress should act quickly to approve Trade Promotion Authority for President Barack Obama as his administration negotiates the Trans-Pacific Partnership.”
Dallas Morning News, 4/22/15 – Why the Trans-Pacific Partnership would be good for Texas: “Congress is moving toward a vote on a fast-track plan that could produce agreement on the sweeping Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact. This is good news for Dallas and for Texas - indeed, for the nation - despite opposition from organized labor and public interest groups…Expanded export opportunity will mean continued growth in both manufacturing and non-manufacturing exports from Texas and more jobs for Texas. Nationally, the pact will enable the U.S. to help set the rules in the fast-growing markets of Asia, rather than leaving them to China. Let's do it.”
San Antonio Express-News, 4/23/15 – Trade deal would benefit Texas: “As never before, we live in a global marketplace, one where goods must flow between nations and commerce and politics are intertwined. That makes approval of the TPP crucial for U.S. interests, and Texas interests. Our delegation should be united in its support for fast-tracking the TPP.”
The Tampa Tribune, 4/22/15 – Seize global trade opportunities: “Smart trade agreements that prevent the exploitation of foreign workers and unfair trade practices will allow Americans to tap new markets, import less expensive goods and be more competitive. It doesn't matter who is president - the White House should have the authority necessary to seize trade opportunities critical to our future prosperity.”
Chicago Tribune, 4/22/15 – The fast track to prosperity: “No surprise, then, that the Illinois Farm Bureau endorses trade promotion authority "to expand export opportunities for Illinois farmers." Illinois-based companies like Archer Daniels Midland, Boeing, Caterpillar and John Deere are also strongly in favor. They know the future belongs to companies, workers and nations that see competition as an opportunity, not a calamity. Global commerce has long been a major factor in expanding consumer options, facilitating growth and raising living standards.
Approving trade promotion authority would be a step toward greater prosperity, here and abroad. Congress should pass it.”
Omaha World Herald, 4/22/15 – Trade links boost Nebraska: “The trade agreement — which would lower a host of trade barriers, perhaps most importantly for U.S. ag exports to Japan — makes sense for Nebraska, given the state’s wide-ranging ties to the international marketplace. Since 2009, the growth rate in Nebraska’s total exports has outpaced the increase for the country as a whole.”
Los Angeles Times, 4/21/15 – Fast Track Makes Sense: “Globalization is happening with or without trade agreements. The goal of lawmakers and the administration alike should be to protect U.S. workers, consumers, entrepreneurs and investors by getting more of the planet to play by rules that look like ours, with real enforcement mechanisms. The fast-track bill proposed last week lays the groundwork not for waving such deals through Congress heedlessly but for negotiating and evaluating them. Congress should pass it, then wait to see whether the administration offers a version of the Pacific pact worth expediting.”
Washington Examiner, 4/21/15 – Congress should ignore Hillary, pursue trade agreements with optimism: “The world is an increasingly open place, and it is up to the United States government whether its citizens will be able to take part as new opportunities arise. This is why, the cynicism of presidential candidacies notwithstanding, Clinton was right the first time. Congress should adopt TPA and approach the coming trade agreement with bipartisan optimism and transparency.”
Washington Post, 4/20/15 – Showdown on the trade pact: “President Obama’s chances of successfully negotiating a new trade deal between the United States and 11 Pacific Rim nations have improved dramatically with the announcement of a bipartisan compromise bill that would enable him to submit the proposed pact, known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), to Congress for a straight up-or-down vote.…It incorporates and addresses traditional Democratic concerns about labor and environmental rights to a far greater and more explicit degree than the previous fast-track law, which was adopted in 2002 and expired in 2007. It provides greater transparency in the form of a mandatory 60-day public comment period before the president signs the bill. It gives either house of Congress the right to rescind fast track if it feels the law’s labor, environmental and other negotiating objectives were not met in the final TPP deal.”
Boston Globe, 4/20/15 – US owes allies a clear path forward on Pacific trade talks: “Regardless of their views on the trade deal itself, lawmakers should vote for fast-track authority. Such a move would send a vital message to the trade deal partners that the United States negotiates in good faith, while also allowing Congress to reject the deal if lawmakers don’t think it does enough to boost the US economy….That’s a fair deal, and one that legislators on both sides of the issue should feel comfortable supporting. Besides, it also represents a responsible interjection into foreign policy — something Congress has struggled with in recent memory. Many US allies and negotiating partners worry that without fast-track, any deal they strike with the Obama administration will die by a thousand cuts in Congress.”
Seattle Times, 4/20/15 – Give Obama fast-track authority in Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations: “The United States must remain a top influencer in global trade and TPP is one way to do that. The proposal is shaping up to align larger economies like those of the United States and Japan with smaller economies in a position to better compete with China. The 12 nations in TPP make up about 40 percent of the world’s gross domestic product. In Washington, expanding trade means more goods coming in and out of the ports of Seattle and Tacoma and thousands of well-paying jobs. The value of Washington exports — ranging from apples and hops to airplanes and software — shot up 40 percent during the last four years to $90.6 billion in 2014…Congressional leaders should act soon to give the president fast-track authority and take advantage of the opportunity TPP presents.”
Wall Street Journal, 4/17/15 – A Lift for Free Trade: “With the world’s economies hitting stiff headwinds, more free trade is the one big lever available to produce a lift for consumers, job-seekers and entrepreneurs. Passing Hatch-Wyden-Ryan as early as next week would also lift Congress’s sunken reputation.”
Baltimore Sun, 4/17/15 – Give Obama 'fast track' authority: “Expanding trade — and negotiating an end to the practice of punitive tariffs being applied to U.S.-made goods — ought to be a high priority. The less trade is encumbered, the more jobs created, the more investment encouraged, the more efficient the global economy. And make no mistake, we no longer live in an era when the U.S. can afford economic isolation. That's why Congress should grant President Barack Obama greater authority to negotiate a 12-nation trade pact known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership.”
Washington Post, 4/13/15 – Congress should put trade atop its to-do list: “On the returning Congress’s crowded agenda, no item is more important than the passage of a bill known as trade promotion authority. It would enable President Obama to submit a 12-nation trade agreement with Pacific Rim nations to lawmakers on a fast-track basis — i.e., with no amendments permitted — as has been done with previous major trade deals. With a presidential election year almost underway, time is running out. The House and Senate need to get the bill passed and on the president’s desk promptly, clearing the way for final negotiation of the nearly-complete trade deal, and its consideration by Congress, before Mr. Obama’s term expires.”
- Washington Post, 1/22/15 – The Trans-Pacific Partnership can help the U.S. counter China’s expansion: “There was no such cause for complaint about his State of the Union address Tuesday night, however, in which he called on “both parties to give me trade promotion authority to protect American workers with strong new trade deals from Asia to Europe,”…. Both economically and geopolitically, the Trans-Pacific Partnership would perpetuate the United States’ stabilizing role in Asia; it is one of the Obama administration’s brightest ideas. All that’s left now is for both the president and Republican leaders in Congress to keep their promises and make it happen.”
Cleveland Plain Dealer, 4/11/15 – Congress should grant President Obama fast-track trade authority: “What's paramount for Obama administration negotiators while forging the Trans-Pacific Partnership is that the details are available to Congress and that lawmakers' opinions are thoroughly considered. If trade agreements can accentuate the positive while mitigating the negative, that's a good thing. If they can open up foreign markets while insisting on a more level playing field, that strikes us as sound policy.”
Los Angeles Times, 3/10/15 – Congress should OK fast-track authority to get a better trade deal: “Considering that the United States typically imposes higher standards on its manufacturers and charges lower tariffs on imported goods, however, it has more to gain from free-trade deals than its trading partners. That's why the administration should keep pursuing them, as it is with Europe and others, and Congress should provide explicit guidance. Lawmakers need to put fast-track authority back in place now, before negotiators push away from the table on the Trans-Pacific Partnership.”
San Diego Union-Tribune, 4/7/15 – Congress must ‘speak with one voice’ on trade: “The stakes are high. We urge all members of the San Diego County congressional delegation to allow American negotiators to speak with one voice again by supporting the fast-track legislation and the subsequent trade agreements.”
The Arizona Republic, 2/21/15 – Hey, Arizona Dems, can you help Obama out?: “It is insufficient to say that President Obama needs this pending trade deal. The country needs it. The nation's economy, at long last gathering strength and moving, however sluggishly, into growth mode, desperately needs the sort of adrenaline rush that an invigorated trade deal would provide. The legislation would allow the president to negotiate trade deals, which would be submitted to Congress for an up-or-down vote, without amendments….He needs their help now. So do the millions of middle-class Americans who will benefit enormously from a deal that will further engage the U.S. — on our own terms — in the global economy.”
Omaha World-Herald, 2/20/15 – The right time to expand trade: “Congress has a key role to play. Lawmakers should give the president authority to sign the agreement with assurances that no amendments will be added by Congress. Such authority is the first step for any significant trade deal; otherwise trading partners won’t agree to make concessions on their tariffs and other barriers. Ultimately, Congress will have final say on the agreement. Opening these foreign markets is a key need for Nebraska agriculture and for the state’s economy overall. It’s in the state’s — and nation’s — interest to complete negotiations and expand the opportunities for our products and services overseas.”
San Francisco Chronicle, 1/23/15 – California will be a winner if Congress blesses a Pacific trade treaty: “From strawberries to software, California’s exports total more than the size of the state’s overall budget. A showdown vote will be needed to approve the package. Congress will be asked to approve a Trade Promotion Authority bill…it’s a sensible way to contain endless favor seeking by lawmakers. California has an enormous stake in foreign trade. Its leaders in Washington should work through the rhetoric and criticism of this economic package and support a treaty that’s vital to the state’s future.”
Seattle Times, 1/20/15 – Congress should enact trade-promotion authority: “President Obama wants more authority to negotiate global trade deals — a move that could significantly benefit Washington state. Congress should give it to him….For Washington, that means exporting more Boeing airplanes, apples, soft white wheat and software. Tourism is also considered an export because it results in foreign money entering the local economy. Congress must not delay in approving TPA. Granting the president trade-promotion authority would have substantial and lasting effects on the state’s and nation’s economies.”
Tacoma News Tribune, 1/14/15 – Trade pact depends on fast-track authority for Obama: “Real opportunities exist for Washington’s farmers with passage of the TPP. For example, Japan currently assesses up to a 13.6 percent tariff on frozen potatoes; Vietnam levies a 15 percent tariff on apples. Neither country is a current free-trade partner of the U.S. If the TPP is enacted, those trade barriers would fall and open up markets for apple and potato sellers…Ratification of the TPP should be a top priority for the state’s congressional delegation. But that can’t happen until the president gets fast-track authority.”
Denver Post, 1/4/15 – Give president fast-track trade authority: “Such a deal would very likely benefit the United States more than other parties because our tariffs are already among the world's lowest. And trade deals these days do in fact include environmental and labor provisions that curtail some of the negative consequences of trade pacts from an earlier era. But the critical fact to keep in mind is that the expansion of trade historically has been tremendously beneficial to the participating countries, promoting prosperity and opportunity. And this is one of those rare positions on which most economists agree…. Give the president fast-track authority on TPP.”
Chicago Tribune, 12/17/14 – As China visits Chicago, good signs for free trade: “Obama needs a free hand from Congress to clinch negotiations on two huge pacts: the TPP and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) with Europe. That means Congress has to give Obama the latitude to negotiate the details, known as trade promotion authority…. This opportunity to expand free trade — and move China in a positive strategic direction — should be irresistible. Administration sources say TPP is this close to being completed. If Congress grants Obama fast-track authority, negotiators on all sides will be encouraged to bring forward their best and final offers.”
San Antonio Express-News, 11/14/14 – Fast track pending trade agreements: “The prospects for widespread bipartisan deal-making in Washington are not bright. There is, though, one real, and very significant subject, where bipartisan action is possible. That’s international trade…. This is a true bipartisan opportunity to open international trade, something that could potentially add millions of jobs and improve the U.S. and global economies. The Texas delegation should push for fast-track authority on these agreements, with an eye towards deals next spring.”
Minneapolis Star-Tribune, 12/26/14 – More trade means more Minnesota jobs: “Rising exports mean more jobs. Minnesota has the natural and human resources to compete at the highest global level, meaning that state workers can benefit from expanded free trade. That’s reason enough for Minnesota’s congressional delegation to rally behind the Obama administration’s efforts to advance two proposed free trade agreements… The proposed agreements are still being negotiated, but ultimately will need to be approved by Congress…. Previous trade pacts, including the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which helped set the stage for the state’s robust exports to Canada and Mexico, were granted trade promotion authority (or so-called “fast-track”) status by Congress. Both the TPP and the T-TIP likely will need the same conditions not only to win support in Congress, but to convince other governments that riling their domestic, protectionist constituencies and risking political capital will not be in vain.”
