[CTC] IUST: From an Renews Call On Business To Lobby Congress On TPP

[Dolan, Mike]

Daily News
In Closed Meeting, Froman Renews Call On Business To Lobby Congress On TPP
February 01, 2016

In a closed-door meeting with business representatives last Friday (Jan. 29), U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman renewed his call for U.S. companies and business groups to lobby Congress to approve the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), but stopped short of identifying any specific timeframe for congressional action, according to industry sources.

Instead, Froman reiterated the Obama administration's longstanding position that it wants Congress to pass TPP as soon as possible, sources said. One industry source said roughly 30 representatives from business associations and companies attended the meeting.

Several sources said there was an acknowledgment during the meeting that the administration needs to address specific objections raised by congressional Republicans to certain aspects of TPP in order for it to advance in Congress.

All of the major cross-sectoral business associations in the U.S. have declared their support for TPP but have also called for improvements to the deal in order to address congressional objections and smooth the way for passage.

One industry source speculated that President Obama's meeting this week with Republican congressional leaders and Froman's bilateral talks with trade ministers on the sidelines of the Feb. 4 TPP signing could yield more clarity about the path forward for the agreement in Congress.

Froman is scheduled to travel to New Zealand from Feb. 3-6 for the TPP signing and “bilateral meetings,” according to USTR. The industry source speculated that Froman may discuss some congressional objections with his ministerial colleagues, but a TPP government source downplayed that notion.

Obama is slated to meet jointly with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-OH) on Tuesday, and will hold a separate one-on-one lunch meeting with Ryan the same day, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest announced Monday (Feb. 1). McConnell has said Congress should not consider TPP before the November election, but Ryan has not been that firm.

Speaking during a press briefing, Earnest said Obama and the Republican congressional leadership will ultimately have to “work through exactly the mechanics” of passing TPP. He said he would not be surprised if this issue comes up in their Tuesday meeting, but stressed that there are a lot of other legislative issues on the agenda, including expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit, fighting cancer and Puerto Rico's debt crisis.



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