<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><a href="http://www.mysanantonio.com/opinion/commentary/article/TPP-demands-open-dialogue-6599129.php" class="">http://www.mysanantonio.com/opinion/commentary/article/TPP-demands-open-dialogue-6599129.php</a><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><h1 class="entry-title headline" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: Sanchez, serif; font-size: 36px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 40px; vertical-align: baseline; clear: both;">TPP demands open dialogue</h1><p class="byline" style="margin: 10px 5px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: Sanchez, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; display: inline-block; width: auto;">Lloyd Doggett, For the Express-News</p><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 16px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""> </span><span style="font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 16px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);" class=""></span><h5 class="timestamp" title="2015-10-29T16:18:57Z" style="margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-family: Sanchez, serif; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; vertical-align: baseline; clear: both; display: inline-block; width: auto;">Published 4:18 pm, Thursday, October 29, 2015</h5><div class=""><br class=""></div></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 24px; border: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeueLTPro-Roman, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">Re: “Politics might block area businesses’ trade opportunities,” <a href="http://www.mysanantonio.com/search/?action=search&channel=opinion%2Fcommentary&inlineLink=1&searchindex=gsa&query=%22David+Hendricks%22" style="color: rgb(244, 129, 31); display: inline; text-decoration: none; font-family: HelveticaNeueLTPro-Bd, HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;" class="">David Hendricks</a>, Business, Oct. 21:</div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 24px; border: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeueLTPro-Roman, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">The questionable outlook for the Trans-Pacific Partnership results mostly from bad policy, not politics. Nor do agreements promoting more trade require the pervasive secrecy demanded by U.S. Trade Ambassador <a href="http://www.mysanantonio.com/search/?action=search&channel=opinion%2Fcommentary&inlineLink=1&searchindex=gsa&query=%22Michael+Froman%22" style="color: rgb(244, 129, 31); display: inline; text-decoration: none; font-family: HelveticaNeueLTPro-Bd, HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;" class="">Michael Froman</a>. At this late date, the final language of TPP and its side deals still remain hidden from Congress and the public. We should seek open, candid dialogue, like that encouraged by those European trading partners, who actually publish their trade negotiating proposals.</div></div><div class=""><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 24px; border: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeueLTPro-Roman, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">And why question the political motives of Rep. <a href="http://www.mysanantonio.com/search/?action=search&channel=opinion%2Fcommentary&inlineLink=1&searchindex=gsa&query=%22Joaqu%C3%ADn+Castro%22" style="color: rgb(244, 129, 31); display: inline; text-decoration: none; font-family: HelveticaNeueLTPro-Bd, HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;" class="">Joaquín Castro</a> when the policy concerns he voiced —Malaysian human trafficking and climate change — are so well justified and unrefuted? </div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 24px; border: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeueLTPro-Roman, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">The recent column did correctly note that we both have actively supported export financing and insurance so important to many local small businesses and to Boeing. Despite the unwillingness of every <a href="http://www.mysanantonio.com/search/?action=search&channel=opinion%2Fcommentary&inlineLink=1&searchindex=gsa&query=%22Texas+Republican+Congress%22" style="color: rgb(244, 129, 31); display: inline; text-decoration: none; font-family: HelveticaNeueLTPro-Bd, HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;" class="">Texas Republican Congress</a> member to support a vote on renewing the Export-Import Bank, we are determined to promptly approve this pro-trade legislation.</div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 24px; border: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeueLTPro-Roman, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">Since the applied tariff rate for about 90 percent of American exports to TPP countries is already zero, TPP has less to do with lowering tariffs than lowering the bar on foreign corporate behavior. </div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 24px; border: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeueLTPro-Roman, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">Recently at <a href="http://www.mysanantonio.com/search/?action=search&channel=opinion%2Fcommentary&inlineLink=1&searchindex=gsa&query=%22Sunset+Station%22" style="color: rgb(244, 129, 31); display: inline; text-decoration: none; font-family: HelveticaNeueLTPro-Bd, HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;" class="">Sunset Station</a>, in explaining her TPP opposition, <a href="http://www.mysanantonio.com/search/?action=search&channel=opinion%2Fcommentary&inlineLink=1&searchindex=gsa&query=%22Hillary+Clinton%22" style="color: rgb(244, 129, 31); display: inline; text-decoration: none; font-family: HelveticaNeueLTPro-Bd, HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;" class="">Hillary Clinton</a> emphasized how this deal fails to prevent foreign governments from unfairly helping their exporters by manipulating the value of their currency downward, at the expense of competing American businesses. This deal advantages pharmaceutical manufacturers rather than protecting patients from price gouging. It promotes Vietnam, which lacks protections for workers, who can be paid 60 cents an hour. It gives foreigners advantages over Americans in challenging health and safety laws that could cost taxpayers dearly.</div><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 24px; border: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeueLTPro-Roman, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; vertical-align: baseline;" class="">Since I have previously supported trade expansion with most TPP countries, I do believe more trade, on reasonable terms, can mean more San Antonio jobs and welcome continued good counsel from our business community. Let’s seek trade in a way that reflects American values and exports more goods, not more jobs. </div><span style="font-family: HelveticaNeueLTPro-It, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px;" class=""><div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 24px; border: 0px; font-family: HelveticaNeueLTPro-Roman, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; vertical-align: baseline; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="">U.S. Rep. <a href="http://www.mysanantonio.com/search/?action=search&channel=opinion%2Fcommentary&inlineLink=1&searchindex=gsa&query=%22Lloyd+Doggett%22" style="color: rgb(244, 129, 31); display: inline; text-decoration: none; font-family: HelveticaNeueLTPro-Bd, HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;" class="">Lloyd Doggett</a>, D-Austin, represents the 35th Congressional District and is a member of the House, <a href="http://www.mysanantonio.com/search/?action=search&channel=opinion%2Fcommentary&inlineLink=1&searchindex=gsa&query=%22Ways+and+Means+Committee%22" style="color: rgb(244, 129, 31); display: inline; text-decoration: none; font-family: HelveticaNeueLTPro-Bd, HelveticaNeue, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;" class="">Ways and Means Committee</a>.</div></span></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><br class=""></div></body></html>