Dreier Praises Bipartisan Agreement on TPA

“TPA is absolutely key to getting the economy back on track,” says Dreier

October 3, 2001

WASHINGTON - Saying that “the urgency for TPA has only increased since September 11th,” Congressman David Dreier (R-CA), Chairman of the House Rules Committee, joined a bipartisan group of colleagues today in introducing legislation to grant Presidential Trade Promotion Authority (TPA), formerly known as fast track. Presidential TPA is necessary so that the President can negotiate trade agreements and bring them to Congress for a simple up or down vote.

“September 11th may have changed the world we live in, but it didn’t change the importance of Trade Promotion Authority,” Dreier said. “In fact, TPA is more important now than ever before. As America leads the world in the fight against terrorism, we must also lead the world in an effort to promote economic and political freedom through trade. We must also do everything we can to get our economy moving again and create jobs for the American people. As Congress and the President look at ways to stimulate our economy, there is bipartisan agreement - Trade Promotion Authority is a critical first step.”

Dreier noted that the when President Bush introduced his 2001 International Trade Legislative Agenda earlier this year, he named TPA as its cornerstone. Every President since Gerald Ford has enjoyed Presidential negotiating authority for trade agreements, but it lapsed in 1994 and has not been reinstated. The Trade Promotion Authority Act of 2001 will grant the authority necessary to negotiate agreements like the Free Trade Agreement of the Americas, which President Bush has pledged to complete by 2005.

Dreier commended his colleagues Representatives Bill Thomas (R-CA), Phil Crane (R-IL), John Tanner (D-TN), Bill Jefferson (D-LA), and Cal Dooley (D-CA) for their bipartisan efforts on the TPA legislation. “The horrible events of September 11th have united our country in ways we never thought possible,” Dreier said. “It’s my hope that the bipartisanship demonstrated by my colleagues working on this issue will lead this Congress to do what is best for the President’s leadership and the future health of our economy. We need to pass TPA and soon.”