The Obama Administration is now working on what could become the largest free-trade agreement ever negotiated. Called the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), it would include the United States, Canada, Mexico, Peru, Chile, New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, Vietnam and Japan. While being worked out in relative secrecy, what is known about this deal would jeopardize the environment, labor, health and safety standards in the United States. They often enable multi-national corporations to further exploit the people in poor countries.
Please contact your U.S. Representative and urge her/him to vote “no” to legislation introduced by Rep. Dave Camp (R-Mich.) that would revive Nixon-era “fast-track” trade authority. This is a policy that enables the president, through the U.S. Trade Representative, to negotiate the terms of a trade agreement with other countries without any representation from the public or elected officials. Once the deal is then negotiated, Congress is only able to pass or reject the trade agreement, not offer any amendments or debate provisions. This policy enabled passage of such free-trade agreements as the North American Free Trade Act (NAFTA) and the Central American Free Trade Act. (CAFTA), and it was allowed to expire since then. This bill would re-authorize that trade authority.
Read more:
http://www.politico.com/story/2014/01/obama-trade-agenda-hill-democrats-102177.html#ixzz2qTd01frq
Public Citizen AdvocacyProgram:
http://action.citizen.org/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=12350
http://www.citizen.org/Page.aspx?pid=1328 http://action.citizen.org/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=12267
