Levin Issues Report on TPP, Calls for Bipartisan Consultative Process

WASHINGTON – Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Sander Levin (D-MI) today issued a report outlining the major outstanding issues within the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations and called for the establishment of an intensive bipartisan consultative process with Congress to determine how to address pending issues and shortcomings within the negotiations. The report, issued to the Council on Foreign Relations ahead of a discussion on TPP there this morning, highlights the need for the focus to remain on the TPP, and not on Trade Promotion Authority.

The seven-page report lays out specific areas within several key elements being negotiated that remain outstanding, including worker rights, environmental protections, access to medicines, human rights, currency manipulation, auto market access in Japan, agricultural market access, state-owned enterprises, food safety measures, investment and dispute settlement and tobacco controls.

These are very important negotiations that deserve the full attention and active involvement of Congress. They have the potential to result in significant economic opportunities for U.S. businesses, workers and farmers. Or they have the potential to lock in uncompetitive practices, weak standards and a system that does not spread the benefits of trade,” Rep. Levin wrote in the report. He added: “Congress should not abdicate its vital responsibilities over international trade either by failing to participate actively in the shaping of the major ingredients of the TPP or by agreeing to a fast track up or down vote before it knows the major ingredients of the TPP. A full partnership between USTR and Congress will send our negotiating partners a strong signal that the Administration is proceeding with active Congressional consultation in seeking a high-standard agreement. If and when that point approaches, a decision can be made on passage of TPA to help finalize the effective deal with our negotiating partners.”

A pdf copy of the report is available here.

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