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A bill to give the White House fast-track power, allowing
Congress a yes-or-no vote on trade deals in exchange for setting
negotiating goals, did not advance in the last Congress but new
legislation will be introduced in 2015.
Unions, progressive lawmakers, consumer advocates,
environmentalists and social justice and human rights lobbyists
will kick off a campaign on Thursday to oppose fast-track.
"It's the start of the new Congress and we are up, up and away,"
said Democrat Rosa DeLauro, citing plans for speeches, letters
and meetings, "the whole nine yards of activity."
But the administration and business groups, who see the
Republican-controlled Congress as the best chance in years for a
trade agenda encompassing deals worth nearly $500 billion a year
to the global economy, are pushing the opposite view.
In a speech next Wednesday, U.S. Chamber of Commerce President
Thomas Donohue will name fast-track, or trade promotion
authority, as a top priority for the group, which represents
more than 3 million American companies. The Business Roundtable
and National Association of Manufacturers are lobbying too.
"We are going to be putting a major push, a major campaign,
behind getting trade promotion done as soon as possible," said
the Chamber's senior international policy director, Christopher
Wenk. "It's going to be around the clock."
Senior officials are reaching out to Democrats on trade,
preparing a snapshot for each state spelling out how each will
gain under the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership, with a
particular focus on labor and environmental protections, a key
concern for many Democrats.
"TPP will be the most progressive trade agreement in history," a
U.S. Trade Representative spokesman said.
Social media, newspaper advertisements and opinion pieces,
pamphlets, face-to-face meetings and rallies will be used by
both sides as the United States moves to complete the TPP and
make progress on the proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment
Partnership with Europe.
Trade experts say fast-track is key to closing those deals, as
it gives trading partners confidence Congress will not pick
apart agreements.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said on Wednesday
Republicans planned to move quickly with fast-track legislation
and called on President Barack Obama to stand up to opponents.
For their part, unions plan to mobilize members to write letters
and telephone their members of Congress to tell them they think
free trade is bad for jobs.
"We want to engage our members in the fast-track fight back in
their districts," said Barbara Coufal, senior official at the
American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees,
which has more than 1.6 million members.
(Reporting by Krista Hughes; Editing by Steve Orlofsky)
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