[CTC_TRADE] Trans-Pacific Partnership: NZ Jumping Onto A Sinking Ship

[Andrew Gussert]

SENATORS WRITE TO U.S. TRADE REP. IN ADVANCE OF TRANS-PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP
NEGOTIATIONS

 

Sens. Urge Obama Administration to Utilize TPP as Opportunity to Chart a New
Course 

in Trade Policy that Creates U.S. Jobs and Upholds Human Rights

 

WASHINGTON D.C. - In advance of the first round of new negotiations on the
Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), scheduled to begin Monday in Australia,
U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Russell D. Feingold (D-WI), Jeff Merkley
(D-OR), and Patty Murray (D-WA) urged the Obama administration to chart a
new course forward on trade agreements.

 

In a letter sent today to U.S. Trade Representative Ronald Kirk, the
senators urged him to use "TPP as an opportunity for the Obama
Administration to re-shape our use of trade policy as a tool to create good
American jobs while promoting economic opportunity and fundamental human
rights and democratic principles among trade partners."

 

The senators requested further information on two areas of concern: 1) the
economic merits of a prospective regional agreement with TPP countries; and
2) how TPP negotiations could serve as leverage to promote human and labor
rights and democratic reforms in Vietnam and Brunei.

 

A full copy of the letter can be found below:

 

March 12, 2009

 

The Honorable Ronald Kirk

United States Trade Representative

Office of United States Trade Representative

600 17th Street NW

Washington, DC 20508

 

Dear Ambassador Kirk:

 

We understand that the first round of new negotiations on the will address
the structure and scope of a prospective regional trade agreement.

 

As the Administration's first major trade policy initiative, the TPP will be
the venue for President Obama to bring his message of change to the issue of
trade and to begin creating a new trade agreement model that boosts
prosperity and security at home and around the world. We see the TPP as an
opportunity for the Obama Administration to re-shape our use of trade policy
as a tool to create good American jobs while promoting economic opportunity
and fundamental human rights and democratic principles among trade partners.

 

As the TPP talks re-start, we request from you further information and
consultation on two areas of concern: the economic merits of a prospective
regional agreement with these partner countries, and how the TPP
negotiations or specific U.S. demands therein could serve as leverage to
promote human and labor rights and democratic reforms in Vietnam and Brunei.

 

The United States already has trade agreements with four of the seven
potential TPP countries - Australia, Singapore, Chile, and Peru. According
to government statistics, these four countries already comprise 86 percent
of the total combined $1.6 trillion GDP of the seven other countries engaged
in TPP talks. In addition, we note that one of the seven countries proposed
as a TPP partner, Vietnam, does not have a market economy. Vietnam, like
several Asian countries, also intentionally undervalues its currency, which
poses severe challenges to American producers.

 

Furthermore, the State Department's 2009 Report on Human Rights Practices
noted that workers in Vietnam are prohibited from joining or forming any
union that is not controlled by the government of Vietnam.  On political
freedoms, the State Department reported that "[t]he government [of Vietnam]
continued to crack down on dissent, arresting political activists and
causing several dissidents to flee the country." In Brunei, there is
virtually "no trade union activity in the country and there is no legal
basis for either collective bargaining or strikes," according to the
International Trade Union Confederation. We view the TPP negotiations as an
opening to ensure that any country seeking to be part of the TPP meet
criteria with respect to labor rights, democratic governance and other human
rights.

 

These challenges, however, represent opportunities for the new
Administration. We believe these negotiations are an opportunity to redefine
and redirect U.S. trade policy. It is essential that we rebalance our trade
and globalization policies so that they reflect our nation's democratic
values are beneficial to our workers, consumers, farmers, and firms.

 

 

Sincerely,

 

 

Sherrod Brown                                    Russell D. Feingold


United States Senator                          United States Senator


 

 

 

Jeff Merkley                                         Patty Murray

United States Senator                          United States Senator

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