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<span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#CC0000">Daily News<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
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<span style="font-size:22.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#333333">After TPP Signing, USTR To Engage With Congress Through Four Avenues<o:p></o:p></span></h1>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height:12.6pt;background:white"><span style="font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black">February 03, 2016<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:12.6pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black">On the eve of the formal signing of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), U.S. Trade Representative
Michael Froman said Tuesday (Feb. 2) that the administration will step up its engagement with Congress on the trade deal in the coming months through four main avenues, in addition to continuing to provide lawmakers information about the agreement.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:12.6pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:12.6pt;background:white"><u><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black">The first avenue is through “meetings and hearings with members and committee on our trade
agenda</span></u><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black">, on the outcomes of TPP,” Froman told reporters on a conference call while on his way to New Zealand, where the TPP will be signed on Feb. 3 U.S. time.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:12.6pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:12.6pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black">He said
<u>the other three avenues are: providing additional details on how TPP's commitments will be enforced; engaging in “direct work with members of Congress on how TPP's implementation will address any concerns or challenges they've identified;” and submitting
a series of reports to Congress required under the 2015 fast-track law, including on the deal's environmental impact.<o:p></o:p></u></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:12.6pt;background:white"><u><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p><span style="text-decoration:none"> </span></o:p></span></u></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:12.6pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black">Froman also signaled that he may raise some of the issues identified by lawmakers when he meets
with TPP ministers in New Zealand. “My sense is that we will be spending some time this week talking collectively about the approval processes in each of our countries and the issues that have come up in that context, and I imagine several of us will have
issues that we'll want to discuss in that regard,” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:12.6pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:12.6pt;background:white"><u><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black">He was responding to a question on whether he would be discussing the exclusivity period for
biologics medicines with his counterparts in New Zealand</span></u><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black">, as that is one of the areas where congressional Republicans have sought changes. Froman stressed that USTR
has been engaged with brand-name and generic pharmaceutical companies to discuss the TPP outcome on biologics and answer questions, and would continue that dialogue.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:12.6pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:12.6pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black">USTR's weekly press schedule said Froman will have bilateral meetings with some trade ministers
in New Zealand.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:12.6pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:12.6pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black">The first avenue mentioned by Froman for engaging with Congress is an apparent reference to the
annual hearings of the Senate Finance and House Ways & Means committees on the president's trade policy agenda. Senate Finance is aiming to hold its hearing in March, after Ways & Means does so.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:12.6pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:12.6pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black">With regard to providing details on how the TPP commitments will be enforced, Froman has already
announced that there will be an administration-wide plan for implementation and enforcement. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:12.6pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:12.6pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black">A U.S. Chamber of Commerce official said last month that the plan<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="http://insidetrade.com/node/152290"><span style="color:#0066CC;border:none windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in">would
be rolled out</span></a> in the next several weeks, although other sources cautioned that that time frame was too ambitious. The 2015 fast-track law requires the administration to submit to Congress a plan for implementing and enforcing a trade agreement 30
days before sending up an implementing bill.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:12.6pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:12.6pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black">Froman said USTR will be working with Congress in developing a draft Statement of Administrative
Action (SAA) on the TPP deal, as well as the implementing legislation. He said both of these could potentially be “important mechanisms” for addressing the issues raised by members of Congress. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:12.6pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:12.6pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black">Under the 2015 fast-track bill, the administration must submit the final legal text of the TPP
along with a draft SAA 30 days before sending up the draft implementing bill. Froman did not respond directly when asked how quickly the administration would send up the draft SAA, but said the administration would consult with the congressional leadership
and the leaders of the trade committee on when to take that step.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:12.6pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:12.6pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black">However, there are indications that the administration will not send up the draft SAA until closer
to when the agreement will be considered by Congress.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:12.6pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:12.6pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black">Froman stressed that the administration wants Congress to approve the TPP agreement as soon as
possible, without giving a concrete timeline. At the same time, Froman signaled that the administration would not force a vote before Congress is ready by acknowledging that it would take into account political dynamics. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell
(R-KY) has said Congress should not consider TPP before the November election. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:12.6pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:12.6pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black">“So we are working with Congress to move this ahead as soon as possible, but obviously consistent
with the political dynamics and the most conducive window for getting it approved, and we'll be consulting very closely with them on when and how to do that,” Froman said.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:12.6pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:12.6pt;background:white"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";color:black">Under the 2015 fast-track law, the administration is required to submit to Congress reports on
the TPP's impact on the environment, U.S. employment and labor rights no later than the time it submits the final legal text.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-family:"Bell MT","serif"">Michael F. Dolan, J.D.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Bell MT","serif"">Legislative Representative<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Bell MT","serif"">International Brotherhood of Teamsters<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Bell MT","serif"">Desk 202.624.6891<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Bell MT","serif"">Fax 202.624.8973<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Bell MT","serif"">Cell 202.437.2254<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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