<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=""><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 3.75pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 16.5pt; background-color: white;"><b class=""><span style="font-size: 16pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(51, 51, 51);" class="">Inside US Trade<o:p class=""></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 15pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 16.5pt; background-color: white;"><b class=""><span style="font-size: 16pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; color: rgb(255, 51, 0);" class="">Business Groups Ramp Up Lobbying Efforts For TPP In Congressional Districts<o:p class=""></o:p></span></b></p><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 16.5pt; background-color: white;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class="">Business associations are ramping up their lobbying efforts in favor of the Trans-Pacific Partnership on Capitol Hill, as well as in congressional districts, in hopes of securing congressional passage of the trade agreement this year.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 16.5pt; background-color: white;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 16.5pt; background-color: white;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class="">“This is kind of the leading issue that business has this year,” Doug Oberhelman, chairman of the Business Roundtable, said during a June 15 conference call with reporters. “When we're doing all we can in high gear to make sure we have every opportunity to get it approved before the end of this term, that's really why we're ramping it up now.”<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 16.5pt; background-color: white;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 16.5pt; background-color: white;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class="">BRT leads the lobbying effort for the U.S. Coalition for TPP. It co-chairs the coalition with the Emergency Committee for American Trade, the American Farm Bureau Federation, the National Association of Manufacturers and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, all of which view TPP as a high priority, Oberhelman said.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 16.5pt; background-color: white;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 16.5pt; background-color: white;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class="">According to Oberhelman and BRT President John Engler, this includes having CEOs meet with congressional leaders on Capitol Hill and in congressional districts. Engler said smaller suppliers for large companies like Boeing, Caterpillar and General Electric are in these districts, and they would benefit from increased trade brought about by TPP.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 16.5pt; background-color: white;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 16.5pt; background-color: white;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class="">“Sometimes its important for a congressman who may not have a Fortune500 company headquartered in their district to recognize there's seven suppliers in their district and their ability to have double digit growth is dependent on that export platform,” he said.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 16.5pt; background-color: white;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 16.5pt; background-color: white;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class="">Engler also said that BRT has been setting up a series small group meetings with committee chairman and congressional leaders.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 16.5pt; background-color: white;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 16.5pt; background-color: white;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class="">Oberhelman and Engler both pointed to low growth numbers as a reason to pass TPP. The CEO outlook released Wednesday by BRT projected 2.2 percent real growth in GDP for 2016.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 16.5pt; background-color: white;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 16.5pt; background-color: white;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class="">“But the CEO estimate for barely more than 2 percent GDP growth this year points to an economy that continues to perform below its potential,” Oberhelman said in a June 15 statement. “We need sustained, healthy growth, which would be aided by enactment of pro-growth policies, such as ratifying the Trans-Pacific Partnership and updating our outdated tax system. Absent that, the U.S. economy will continue to be stuck in the slow lane.”<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt;" class=""> </span></div></body></html>