US House passes standalone fast track bill giving president more authority in TPP talks. (today)

Ill be the first to admit that I really don't know much about this bill .

I just found it Odd that it was front page of RT today .

And as many of you know the events in S. Carolina are all over the news . Maybe a distraction?

So lets take a look at this Bill .

The fast track negotiating authority for trade agreements is the authority of the President of the United States to negotiate international agreements that Congress can approve or disapprove but cannot amend or filibuster. Also called trade promotion authority (TPA) since 2002, fast track negotiating authority is a temporary and controversial power granted to the President by Congress. The authority was in effect from 1975 to 1994, pursuant to the Trade Act of 1974, and from 2002 to 2007 by the Trade Act of 2002. Although it expired for new agreements on July 1, 2007, it continued to apply to agreements already under negotiation until they were eventually passed into law in 2011. In 2012, the Obama administration began seeking renewal of the authority.

Arguments in favor

Helps pass trade agreements: According to AT&T Chairman and CEO Randall L. Stephenson, Trade Promotion Authority is "critical to completing new trade agreements that have the potential to unleash U.S. economic growth and investment". Jason Furman, chairman of Obama's Council of Economic Advisers, also said "the United States might become less competitive globally if it disengaged from seeking further trade openings: 'If you're not in an agreement—that trade will be diverted from us to someone else—we will lose out to another country'".[19]
Congress is allowed more say and members are shielded: According to I.M. Destler of the Peterson Institute for International Economics, fast track "has effectively bridged the division of power between the two branches. It gives executive branch (USTR) negotiators needed credibility to conclude trade agreements by assuring other nations' representatives that Congress won't rework them; it guarantees a major Congressional role in trade policy while reducing members' vulnerability to special interests”.[20]
Assurance for foreign governments: According to President Reagan's Attorney General Edwin Meese III, "it is extremely difficult for any U.S. President to negotiate significant trade deals if he cannot assure other nations that Congress will refrain from adding numerous amendments and conditions that must then be taken back to the negotiating table". The very nature of Trade Promotion Authority requires Congress to vote on the agreements before they can take effect, meaning that without TPA, "those agreements might never even be negotiated".[21]

Arguments against

Unconstitutional: Groups opposed to Trade Promotion Authority claim that it places too much power in the executive branch, "allowing the president to unilaterally select partner countries for ‘trade’ pacts, decide the agreements' contents, and then negotiate and sign the agreements—all before Congress has a vote on the matter. Normal congressional committee processes are forbidden, meaning that the executive branch is empowered to write lengthy legislation on its own with no review or amendments."[22]
Lack of transparency: Democratic members of Congress and general right-to-know internet groups are among those opposed to trade fast track on grounds of a lack of transparency. Such Congressmen have complained that fast track forces "members to jump over hurdles to see negotiation texts and blocks staffer involvement. In 2012, Senator Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) complained that corporate lobbyists were given easy access while his office was being stymied, and even introduced protest legislation requiring more congressional input."[23]

Don't worry I am a still trying to understand it my self .

Apparently this bill will give more Authority to the president in TTP deals . Also

The TPP has been lobbied by large pharmaceutical company to include these provisions to further delay the introduction of generic drugs.

"The leaked TPP document "shows that the pact could expose Medicare to pharmaceutical company attacks and constrain future policy reforms, including the ability of the US government to curb rising and unsustainable drug prices," consumer rights advocacy group Public Citizen said in a statement.

You can read more about it HERE and HERE

Like I stated I am currently still reading an trying to gain more of an insight as to what exactly the roll of this bill is and how it will effect our future .

I would like to humbly ask that any members with more Info on this ,please ADD to the thread . Or if you can sum it up in layman's terms for those of us who don't fully understand it ,can get a better Idea .

I'll also try and Update the Op with any relevant information .


Thanks

Kap.

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Already posted.

a reply to: [post=19465034]stosh64[/pos

But the thing about ''The TPP has been lobbied by large pharmaceutical company to include these provisions to further delay the introduction of generic drugs.

"The leaked TPP document "shows that the pact could expose Medicare to pharmaceutical company attacks and constrain future policy reforms, including the ability of the US government to curb rising and unsustainable drug prices," consumer rights advocacy group Public Citizen said in a statement.'' is not posted in the other thread and sounds super scary. Not in the U.S. but im afraid Europe is next.

All these "Leaks"...

How do we know they're real and not fake themselves?

a reply to: Kapusta

You are finding it odd that the US media is practically ignoring it, yet RT has it on the front page..... I see.

I find it odd that you list unconstitutional as a con and unleashing corporations as a pro. I can only come to the conclusion that you watch Faux News regularly.

originally posted by: InverseLookingGlass
a reply to: Kapusta

You are finding it odd that the US media is practically ignoring it, yet RT has it on the front page..... I see.

I find it odd that you list unconstitutional as a con and unleashing corporations as a pro. I can only come to the conclusion that you watch Faux News regularly.

Please Note that my "list" were from Wiki , and they do not represent my Views on this subject .

I do not subscribe to MSM , The only Media i really subscribe to is RT , Only because they seem to report on things I would normally not find in MSM outlets .

ETA:I am aware that RT has dabbled in propaganda , But it is for me to decide What piece is propaganda and what isn't .
And I always fact check before posting Articles to ATS from RT .

a reply to: Kapusta Yes, it's Really awful. I would have hoped he had gotten 'fast track' on other things...as our government is a massive work slowdown. But this, this is insane.