[CTC] Miller, Trott Urge President Against Forcing Lame-Duck TPP Vote

Mon Aug 1 13:45:46 PDT 2016

Miller, Trott Urge President Against Forcing Lame-Duck TPP Vote

Miller leads Congressional letter to President against “lame-duck” consideration of Trans-Pacific Partnership

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Representatives Candice Miller (MI-10) and Dave Trott (MI-11) along with Representatives Bill Shuster (PA-9), Tim Murphy (PA-18), Ed Whitfield (KY-1), and Ted Yoho (FL-3) sent a letter to President Obama underscoring the widespread concern about the Trans-Pacific Partnership and urging him not to force a vote on an agreement of this consequence through a “lame duck” Congress. 

“I represent Southeast Michigan, a region that has suffered decades of economic devastation due to unfair currency manipulation practices from overseas competitors like Japan, China, and South Korea. During my tenure, I have advocated for strong protections against currency manipulation. In fact, working with then-House Ways and Means Chairman Paul Ryan I negotiated the inclusion of strong currency manipulation provisions in the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act, which was enacted into law earlier this year. As a result of my provisions, back in April, the Treasury Department released its bi-annual report naming China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and Germany  to the department’s currency manipulation watch list <https://edit-candicemiller.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/treasury-names-china-japan-korea-taiwan-and-germany-to-currency>. While this is an important first step to bringing much-needed scrutiny to countries that engage in currency manipulation and other unfair trading practices, more must be done to protect American manufacturers. If this Administration was serious about protecting U.S. manufacturing, then it would have insisted that the Trans-Pacific Partnership have strong currency manipulation protections, which it doesn’t. That’s why I, along with several of my colleagues in the House, am urging President Obama to not force Congress to vote on the trade deal during the upcoming lame duck session. A deal of such magnitude and consequence should be debated and approved by the new Administration and Congress, not outgoing members such as myself. Americans deserve an opportunity to hold our President and their elected representatives in Congress accountable, and forcing this bad deal through a lame duck would deny them that opportunity.” – Rep. Candice Miller (MI-10)

“The TPP trade agreement does not contain the currency manipulation rules needed to protect Michigan families and our manufacturing industry. Like many Americans, I am not convinced that, in its current form, the TPP will do enough to protect Michigan workers and grow our state’s economy.  While I believe trade is critical for Michigan jobs, I urge President Obama not to pursue a vote on the TPP during a lame-duck session of Congress.  Any attempt to do so will only further erode the American people’s confidence in their government. The president should respect the voters’ choice of a new Chief Executive and allow his successor to work with Congress to negotiate a stronger agreement that puts Michigan workers and businesses first.” –Rep. Dave Trott (MI-11)

Under the Trade Promotion Authority (TPA), which passed Congress in 2015, Congress has 90 in-session days to consider the Trans-Pacific Partnership after it is formally presented to Congress by the President.

A PDF of the signed letter is available here. <https://candicemiller.house.gov/sites/candicemiller.house.gov/files/TPPPOTUSLetter.pdf>

Full text of the letter is as follows:

August 1, 2016

President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20500

Dear President Obama:

As our constituents have repeatedly expressed, America has deep and widespread concern about international trade agreements’ negative impact on American jobs, manufacturing, and the economy.

We believe a great deal more work is needed in renegotiations to ensure the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) works for American workers – and not just those of our trading partners.

A high-standard agreement is critical for the future of trade, since it not only includes the 12 currently participating countries, but is also a template which other countries can, and will, join in the future.  

America is already losing millions of jobs to the TPP’s current members – much of that driven by those countries’ currency manipulation.  

Notably, the TPP does not include enforceable rules to stop currency manipulators. Once America has given up the leverage of gaining full access to its consumer markets, the possibility of prohibiting currency manipulation – or reaching equitable agreements in many other areas – will be lost forever.

Additionally, the U.S. International Trade Commission’s recent report on TPP ignored the devastating potential impact that foreign currency manipulation could have on American jobs. Even using this and other optimistic assumptions, the report estimated only anemic growth and meager job creation across all sectors of our economy – while projecting American manufacturing would shrink.

As a result of these and many other failures, the TPP must be renegotiated in order to address 21st century trade issues and ensure American workers a competitive level playing field in the global economy.  

Some in your Administration reportedly believe passage of TPP should be attempted following November’s election.  We respectfully, but strongly, disagree.

TPP will set the template for trade for the next generation.  It will not only impact the current 12 member nations but also countries like South Korea and China that could join in the future.  A “lame duck” Congress should not vote on an agreement of this consequence – it would be an end-run around the American people immediately following an election.

We urge you not to send TPP implementing legislation to Congress in 2016.

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