Trade Remains Important Agenda Item for the Obama Administration and Congress

Currently, the U.S. continues to negotiate two major free trade agreements: the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnerhsip (TTIP) and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). Negotiations concerning both agreements are expected to conclude before the close of the current Congress.

On April 16, 2015, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-UT) and Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR) introduced The Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015 (TPA-2015). If passed, TPA-2015 will grant the Obama Administration the ability to negotiate trade agreements and submit them for approval to Congress without being subject to amendment or changes. The TPA-2015 legislation also provides a framework for negotiations and includes measures addressing intellectual property, human rights, and labor and environmental protections.

As Congress considers trade related legislation, interested parties should undertake a concerted effort to advocate on behalf of their preferred outcomes to Members of Congress and the Executive Branch.  

Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or concerns as you begin to formulate your trade strategy and accompanying advocacy plan.