Obama Team Asks Congress For Enhanced Trade-Deal Authority

[Purveyor]

Source: Associated Press

Jan 27, 1:41 PM EST

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A senior Democratic senator's complaints Tuesday, and noisy protesters, underscored the Obama administration's challenge in seeking congressional approval for enhanced powers to cut trade deals with Japan, Australia and many other countries.

Sen. Charles Schumer of New York said he worries that new trade deals will not help middle class incomes. He also insisted the United States do more to prevent China from keeping its currency's value artificially low, which enhances Chinese exports and dampens imports.

Schumer addressed his remarks to U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman, who made the administration's pitch to Senate and House committees Tuesday.

Froman said Congress must return "trade promotion authority" to the White House in order to cut important trade deals with Pacific-rim nations and others. That power, sometimes called "fast-track" authority, allows presidents to send proposed trade agreements to Congress for yes or no votes, with no amendments.

Read more: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CONGRESS_TRADE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2015-01-27-13-41-46

[Erich Bloodaxe BSN]

1. Hell no. nt

[on point]

2. Hell no. Publish the trade pact and negotiate in the open first.

[lark]

3. Do the exact opposite of what's being asked!

Fast Track would be the worst thing that could be done for any trade deals. All trade deals promote the foreign multinational companies over our own envirnomental and labor laws. That's the reason that secrecy is required, no one would vote for it if they read the fine print. Obama should be open and transparent, and let the thing rise or fall on it's own merits, after Senators have had a chance to read and digest the contents.

Edited to remove typo.

[msongs]

4. more stab us in the back secrecy from the corporate president of the moment nt

[FiveGoodMen]

5. How is there even one person in the US that has not seen through him by now?

[rhett o rick]

6. Stop Fast Track, Stop the TPP. Thanks for posting. nm

[Maedhros]

7. THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR KEEPING THE TPP NEGOTIATIONS SECRET.

At a time when our economy is in turmoil, the citizens have a right and a need to know what's in this agreement.

No more secrecy, Mr. "Most Transparent Administration".

No TPP!

[MisterP]

8. soooo basically the IWR, but at home rather than 2 continents away

[bvar22]

9. DURec.

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