(Washington, DC) – Congressman Charles W. Boustany, Jr., MD (R-South Louisiana), supported passage of H.R. 1890, the Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act.

Boustany spoke on the House floor yesterday to make the conservative case for TPA. To view video of the speech, click here.

H.R. 1890, which was introduced and made public online on April 17, 2015, also known as Trade Promotion Authority (TPA), is an agreement between Congress and the Administration that helps secure the most effective trade agreements possible. It has three main components:

• A list of over 150 of the conservative Congress’ objectives that set priorities for the Administration to follow in trade negotiations with other countries.
• Strong transparency and accountability requirements that put Congress in the drivers’ seat of negotiations and give the public a full understanding of what an agreement would contain, requiring a final trade agreement to be posted for at least 60 days before congressional action.
• A streamlined procedure to vote on a trade agreement if, but only if, the Administration meets its TPA obligations.

Currently, there are over 400 free trade agreements in the world, but as the world's largest economy, the United States is part of only 14. In contrast, the European Union (EU) has agreements with over 50 countries. As a result, the EU is the top trading partner for 80 countries while the US is the top trading partner for just over 20 countries. Now, developing countries like China are beginning to catch up to the US. China has 11 agreements with 18 countries.

A recent study by the Organization for International Investment found that TPA is the catalyst for reaching trade deals that will attract $1.5 billion in new global investment and create 17,470 new jobs in Louisiana. Additionally, the Business Roundtable found that more than 1 in 5 Louisiana jobs depend on trade, and that jobs in exporting plants pay up to 18 percent more than similar jobs in non-exporting plants.

Boustany said: “I want mothers around the world to buy goods off the shelf that say “Made in America,” but those markets are closed – we can open them. Trade Promotion Authority is the process by which we get the strongest and highest-quality trade agreements for American workers that will be most beneficial to Louisiana and to our country.

“Trade Promotion Authority puts the Republican Congress in the driver’s seat, providing over 150 negotiating priorities that we set, not the Administration. Passing TPA prevents the President from negotiating on his own priorities, forcing him to negotiate on the priorities of the American people. It provides greater transparency, requiring that any final trade agreement must be made public for at least 60 days before any congressional action.

“Trade Promotion Authority is the catalyst for job growth, for American leadership, and for greater transparency and accountability for the American people.”

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As a senior Member of the House Ways & Means Committee, Boustany has been recognized as one of the leading voices on trade policy in the U.S. Congress, being honored with the prestigious Congressional Leadership Award from the Washington International Trade Association last year.

Boustany helped write H.R. 1890 and has been active in whipping support for the bill, working with Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA), Chief Deputy Whip Patrick McHenry (R-NC), Rules Committee Chairman Pete Sessions (R-TX), Ways & Means Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI), and Ways & Means Trade Subcommittee Chairman Pat Tiberi (R-OH).