[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 72 (Tuesday, May 12, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2767-S2768]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                                 TRADE

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, the Senate will have the opportunity 
this afternoon to open the legislative process for a broad 21st century 
American trade agenda.
  Let me remind Senators that the vote we are taking today is not a 
vote to approve or disapprove of trade promotion authority. In fact, 
the bill we will be voting to proceed to is simply a placeholder that 
will allow us to open a broad debate on trade that our country very 
much needs. Voting yes to open debate on a 21st century American trade 
agenda offers every Member of this body the chance to stand up for 
American workers, American farmers, American entrepreneurs, and 
American manufacturers. It is a chance to stand with Americans for 
economic growth, opportunity, and good jobs.
  Selling products stamped ``Made in America'' to the many customers 
who live beyond our borders is key. That is true across our entire 
country. It is true in my home State of Kentucky. We know that Kentucky 
already boasts more than half a million jobs related to trade. We know 
that nearly a quarter of Kentucky's manufacturing workers depend on 
exports for their jobs. And we know that manufacturing jobs tied to 
exports pay about 18 percent more than non-export related jobs.
  So there is every reason to knock down more unfair international 
trade barriers and bring more benefits back to Americans, right here at 
home. According to one estimate, Kentucky alone could see thousands 
more jobs and millions more in economic investment if we enact smart 
agreements with countries in Europe and the Pacific.
  We also know how important these types of agreements are to our 
national security--especially in the Pacific region. Just last week, 
seven former Defense Secretaries from both political parties wrote to 
express their ``strongest possible support'' for the bill before us 
today. ``The stakes are clear,'' they wrote. ``There are tremendous 
strategic benefits. . . . [and] America's prestige, influence, and 
leadership are on the line.''
  If we care about preserving and extending American leadership in the 
21st century, then we cannot cede the most dynamic region in the world 
to China. It is true from a national security perspective, and it is 
true from an economic perspective.
  But first, we need fair and enforceable trade legislation that 
expands congressional oversight over the administration and sets clear 
rules and procedures for our trade negotiators. We have all those 
things in the Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and 
Accountability Act, a bill that passed out of the Finance Committee 20 
to 6 with strong support from both parties.
  We should start the process of building on that bipartisan momentum 
right now. I know the opportunity to consider complex legislation via 
regular order became too uncommon in recent years, but that is changing 
now. The Senate may still be a little rusty, though, so I want to be 
clear about what today's vote is. This is a vote to begin a process. 
This is a vote to begin a debate on a broad trade agenda. Yes, TPA will 
be part of that debate. But trade adjustment assistance, or TAA, will 
be also.
  Now, there are many Members on my side of the aisle who have real 
reservations about TAA. I do as well. But I expect that at the end of 
this process, after the Senate works its will, TAA--trade adjustment 
assistance--will be part of the package the Senate sends to the House.
  The top Democrat on the Finance Committee made it clear at the markup 
of these trade bills that TAA needed to run alongside TPA. I know that 
the chairman of the committee, Senator Hatch, has also been working 
toward that end.
  Now, the Finance Committee didn't just mark up TPA and TAA. It also 
marked up the African Growth and Opportunity Act and passed the 
generalized system of preferences bill by voice vote. It reported a 
customs and enforcement bill by voice vote, too.
  So while TPA is clearly the centerpiece of the trade agenda before 
us,

[[Page S2768]]

there is also bipartisan support for other bills reported by the 
Finance Committee.
  Now, I know we have heard some concern that these bills might get 
left behind. I don't think that was anybody's intent. I expect to have 
a robust amendment process that will allow trade-related amendments to 
be offered and considered, including on the subject matters that the 
committee dealt with. The underlying substitute will be a compromise 
between the two parties, marrying TAA and TPA.
  But let me repeat so there is no misunderstanding: The measure before 
us will be open for amendment, and I expect that other trade policies 
considered by the committee--and possibly even more--will be debated on 
the floor. I also expect that Chairman Hatch and Senator Wyden will be 
working hard to get as much done as they can on all of these proposals.
  I know that Chairman Hatch wants to find a path forward on all of 
these bills. I know that Senator Wyden and Chairman Ryan spent a lot of 
time working through TAA, and, despite the objections of many on our 
side, it is likely to be included in any trade bill that passes the 
Senate.
  I am confident that an enduring agreement can be found if the Senate 
is allowed to work its will and debate openly. That is what we intend 
to have happen on this bill. So I repeat: All we are voting on today is 
whether to have that debate at all.
  If there are Senators with concerns about particular details of the 
trade agenda before us, that is all the more reason to vote to debate 
it. Let's have these conversations in an open and transparent way. 
Let's give the American people a full-throated debate on an important 
issue.
  But we can't debate any of the provisions Senators want to consider 
if they vote to filibuster even getting on the bill. So I am calling on 
colleagues to prove they are serious--prove they are serious about 
wanting to pass this legislation--rather than simply looking for new 
and creative ways to defeat it. Voting to proceed is the way we have an 
opportunity to prove we want to pass trade promotion authority.
  All the good committee work I mentioned demonstrates a real hunger to 
process bipartisan trade legislation. So let's vote to build on that 
today. Let's vote to open debate on a 21st century American trade 
agenda. Let's not slam the door on even the opportunity of having that 
debate.

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