Statement by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement
http://www.fas.usda.gov/newsroom/statement-agriculture-secretary-tom-vilsack-trans-pacific-partnership-agreement
"An agreement on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations provides a more level playing field in trade for American farmers. The agreement would eliminate or significantly reduce tariffs on our products and deter non-science based sanitary and phytosanitary barriers that have put American agriculture at a disadvantage in TPP countries in the past. Despite these past barriers, countries in the Trans-Pacific Partnership currently account for up to 42 percent of all U.S. agricultural exports, totaling $63 billion. Thanks to this agreement and its removal of unfair trade barriers, American agricultural exports to the region will expand even further, particularly exports of meat, poultry, dairy, fruits, vegetables, grains, oilseeds, cotton and processed products.
"The TPP agreement would not be possible without the extraordinary efforts of the negotiating team at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, assisted by the dedicated staff of USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service and the Office of the Chief Economist. I'd also like to thank the formal trade advisors and experts from agricultural commodity groups who provided valuable market information and creative proposals to better inform U.S. negotiators. Collectively, their efforts have led to a strong deal for American agriculture.
"Failing to grasp this opportunity would be a mistake: worse than just losing out on potential gains, our producers would fall behind other countries that are negotiating their own preferential arrangements in TPP countries.
We are committed to working with Congress within the framework of the recently-passed Trade Promotion Authority to obtain a strong bipartisan understanding of and support for this historic trade deal that benefits farmers, ranchers, and all those who live, work and raise families in rural communities."
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Tim Kaine voted with the Rethugs for Fast Track
Senate Passes Fast-Track Bill 62-37. Which 14 Dems Voted Yes?
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2015/5/22/1387078/-Senate-Votes-62-to-37-on-Cloture-for-Fast-Track-Let-s-Look-at-the-Amendments-too
The Senate just voted to pass Trade Promotion Authority (fast-track) bill 62 to 37.
48 Republicans and
14 Democrats voted for it. 32 Democrats and 5 Republicans voted against it.
Here are the 14 Democrats:
Michael Bennet (D-CO)
Ben Cardin (D-MD)
Maria Cantwell (D-WA)
Tom Carper (D-DE)
Chris Coons (D-DE)
Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)
Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND)
Tim Kaine (D-VA)
Claire McCaskill (D-MO)
Patty Murray (D-WA)
Bill Nelson (D-FL)
Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH)
Mark Warner (D-VA)
Ron Wyden (D-OR)
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Potential Clinton VP Perez still supports trade deal
http://www.politico.com/story/2016/07/tom-perez-trade-pacific-225067
Labor Secretary Tom Perez, a potential Democratic vice presidential pick, isn't backing down from his support for the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the trade deal opposed by Hillary Clinton.
The debate over trade has roiled the Democratic Party, with President Barack Obama and many congressional leaders supporting the agreement and both Clinton and Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders opposing it. The position is a reversal of sorts for Clinton, who has traditionally supported trade deals and spoke favorably of the TPP when she was secretary of state.
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"There were winners and losers in NAFTA. And that's the reality of what it was," Perez said. "And the biggest challenge that we have to learn from from NAFTA was that the provision of NAFTA said that all the other countries had to do was comply with their own laws. And if their own laws are Swiss cheese, and that was the case in Mexico, well then you're not asking them to do much."
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