<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=""><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class=""><b class=""><span style="font-size: 24pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class="">Miller, Trott Urge President Against Forcing Lame-Duck TPP Vote</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class=""><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class=""> </span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class=""><b class=""><i class=""><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class="">Miller leads Congressional letter to President against “lame-duck” consideration of Trans-Pacific Partnership</span></i></b><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class=""> </span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class="">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. </span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class=""> </span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><i class=""><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class="">“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,<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://edit-candicemiller.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/treasury-names-china-japan-korea-taiwan-and-germany-to-currency" style="color: rgb(149, 79, 114);" class="">the Treasury Department released its bi-annual report naming China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and Germany to the department’s currency manipulation watch list</a>. 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.”<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></i><b class=""><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class="">– Rep. Candice Miller (MI-10)</span></b><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class=""> </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><i class=""><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class="">“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.”<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></i><b class=""><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class="">–Rep. Dave Trott (MI-11)</span></b><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><i class=""> </i><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class="">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.</span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class=""> </span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class="">A PDF of the signed letter is available<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><a href="https://candicemiller.house.gov/sites/candicemiller.house.gov/files/TPPPOTUSLetter.pdf" style="color: rgb(149, 79, 114);" class="">here.</a></span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class=""> </span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class="">Full text of the letter is as follows:</span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class=""> </span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class="">August 1, 2016</span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class=""> </span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: justify;" class=""><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class="">President Barack Obama</span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: justify;" class=""><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class="">The White House</span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: justify;" class=""><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class="">1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.</span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: justify;" class=""><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class="">Washington, DC 20500</span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: justify;" class=""><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class=""> </span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: justify;" class=""><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class="">Dear President Obama:</span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: justify;" class=""><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class=""> </span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: justify;" class=""><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class="">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.</span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: justify;" class=""><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class=""> </span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: justify;" class=""><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class="">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.</span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: justify;" class=""><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class=""> </span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: justify;" class=""><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class="">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. </span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: justify;" class=""><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class=""> </span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: justify;" class=""><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class="">America is already losing millions of jobs to the TPP’s current members – much of that driven by those countries’ currency manipulation. </span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: justify;" class=""><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class=""> </span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: justify;" class=""><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class="">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.</span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: justify;" class=""><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class=""> </span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: justify;" class=""><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class="">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.</span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: justify;" class=""><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class=""> </span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: justify;" class=""><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class="">As a result of these and many other failures, the TPP must be renegotiated in order to address 21<sup class="">st</sup> century trade issues and ensure American workers a competitive level playing field in the global economy. </span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: justify;" class=""><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class=""> </span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: justify;" class=""><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class="">Some in your Administration reportedly believe passage of TPP should be attempted following November’s election. We respectfully, but strongly, disagree.</span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: justify;" class=""><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class=""> </span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: justify;" class=""><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class="">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.</span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: justify;" class=""><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class=""> </span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class="">We urge you not to send TPP implementing legislation to Congress in 2016.</span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class=""> </span><o:p class=""></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;" class=""><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;" class="">###</span></div></body></html>