Rangel: Package TPP with an Infrastructure Bill

Article featured in POLITICO Pro, published on June 14, 2016. Rangel: Packadge TPP with an Infastructure Bill

The Trans-Pacific Partnership should be packaged with a bill to rebuild America’s aging infrastructure to bolster support for the pact, Rep. Charles Rangel said today.

“If that was included in the bill, or part of the package, I think people would take another look at TPP,” the New York Democrat said at a House Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee hearing on the benefits of agricultural exports.

The senior Democrat said it was clear that there are not currently enough votes to approve the pact. “Is there anybody that thinks TPP is going to be on the president’s desk before the election?” Rangel asked, addressing his question to the room. None of the witnesses or Rangel’s fellow lawmakers ventured to answer “yes.”

One reason the pact is in trouble is that many believe trade agreements lead to a loss of jobs, Rangel said. Congress could address that concern by packaging TPP with a bill to improve the United States transportation infrastructure since that would provide jobs and also help trade, he said.