Last week, U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, the chairman of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee; U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., the ranking Democrat on the Finance Committee; and U.S. Rep.Paul Ryan, R-Wis., the chairman of the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee, reached a deal to give the president fast-track authority through renewing the trade promotion authority (TPA) to negotiate deals including the pending Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).
Most congressional Republicans have lined up behind the agreement, working with the Obama White House to expand free trade.
U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., who sits on the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee and the U.S. House Trade Subcommittee, applauded the agreement, insisting free trade will help Florida. Buchanan pointed to a report from the Business Roundtable which found trade generates 2.4 million jobs in the Sunshine State and adds $96.4 billion to Floridas economy.
We cannot allow the United States to fall behind the rest of the world, said Buchanan on Thursday. Increasing access to foreign markets is critical to growing the U.S. economy and creating good-paying jobs. This legislation represents a significant milestone that will help set the rules for a robust trade agenda.
U.S. Rep. Carlos Curbelo, R-Fla. also cheered the agreement and said free trade would boost South Floridas economy.
I applaud Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch, Ranking Member Ron Wyden, and House Ways and Means Chairman Paul Ryan, for introducing this critical bill, Curbelo said on Thursday. The new Trade Promotion Authority legislation will help the United States in establishing strong free-trade agreements that will increase American exports and create new economic opportunities for our workers, farmers, and small businesses.
South Florida is often referred to as the Gateway to the Americas, and our community has seen firsthand just how beneficial increased trade is with other countries, Curbelo added. "This new legislation outlines clear objectives that current and future administrations must follow when entering talks with foreign countries. Im also pleased this bill will strengthen Congresss role in the negotiation process by creating more transparency and allowing for procedures to hold the administration accountable should they fail to meet TPA requirements.
It is my hope Congress can have a fair and open debate on Trade Promotion Authority and future free-trade agreements so we can provide more economic opportunity for all Americans, Curbelo said in conclusion.
But the agreement drew the fire of House liberals including U.S. Rep. Alan Grayson, D-Fla., who is considering running for the U.S. Senate in 2016. U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., is focused on running for president instead of a second term. If Grayson runs, he would join U.S. Rep. Patrick Murphy, D-Fla., in the primary.
Grayson is running a website against trade treachery and labeled free trade as fake trade as he tries to rally liberals against the agreement.
Fake Trade bleeds over $1,000,000,000 out of our economy each day, Grayson insisted on Monday.
On Sunday, Grayson compared TPP to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) pushed by then-President Bill Clinton in the 1990s.
The new NAFTA, to give us all the SHAFTA again, Grayson called the pending trade agreement.
In the meantime, the leadership of the Florida business community remains squarely behind free trade.
"Increasingly, international trade is one of Floridas top strategies for economic diversification and long-term growth, said Mark Wilson, the president and CEO of the Florida Chamber of Commerce, on Thursday. Leveraging and growing trade opportunities that build bridges to more markets for 'Made in Florida' products and services around the world is essential.
"Free-trade agreements help provide greater access to new markets for Florida exporters by reducing trade barriers, Wilson added. The renewal of Trade Promotion Authority is essential to our continued success as a global hub for trade.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or follow him on Twitter: @KevinDerbySSN
