[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 6]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 8801-8802]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




           INTRODUCTION OF THE TRADE TRANSPAREN-C RESOLUTION

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MARCY KAPTUR

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, June 4, 2015

  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to introduce the Trade Review 
Accountability Needs Sunlight and Preview of Any Regulations and Exact 
Negotiated Components Resolution, or the ``Trade TRANSPAREN-C 
Resolution.''
  Congress has granted the last eighteen presidents the authority to 
negotiate trade agreements withdrawing significant Congressional 
participation in the process. The recent past has seen a transformation 
in this authority, originally established to serve as negotiating 
guidelines. Today, it is little more than Congressional consent to be a 
rubber stamp as this implementing legislation sometimes referred to as 
``Fast-Track'' or ``Trade Promotion Authority,'' grants sweeping 
authority to the Executive branch to negotiate trade deals. And it 
undercuts the Constitutional responsibility of Congress to regulate 
commerce with foreign nations as outlined in Article 1, Section 8 of 
the U.S. Constitution. Instead we are allowed merely an up or down 
vote.
  Today, I introduce this resolution to take back our Congressional 
authority, and to shine light on the negotiation process and final text 
of these increasingly massive trade deals.
  The Trade Promotion Authority currently under debate would usher 
through the top secret Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement. 
It would also grant that fast track authority for up to six years. 
During that time we would be prohibited from any Congressional 
amendments or hearings, and given at most 60 days to review any 
proposed trade deal. This is a very short window if you consider that 
the draft TPP is between 800-1000 pages.
  My Trade TRANSPAREN-C Resolution will put a hold on consideration of 
any implementing ``Fast-Track'' bill for any trade agreement until the 
full, final text of that agreement has been available to the public for 
no less than 60 days. This includes the secretive TPP.
  In its current form, the TPP would outsource good jobs, degrade 
global environmental and working standards and allow investor rights to 
overrun the rights of workers. The TPP is also packed with special-
interest perks thanks to

[[Page 8802]]

the more than 600 transnational corporations that weighed in on, and in 
some case wrote, the agreement in secret. Meanwhile the American people 
have still not been allowed to read it.
  For six years the U.S. trade representative has kept the TPP buried 
under a top secret classification. Even Members of Congress can only 
read it in a secure room under the watchful eye of a security monitor. 
I visited that room to review several sections of the deal and was not 
allowed to make copies, keep notes, take pictures, or share anything I 
learned with anyone unless they have Top Secret security clearance, all 
under threat of prosecution.
  Despite the secrecy, this deal has provisions the American people 
need to know about.
  The Trade TRANSPAREN-C Resolution will reaffirm Congress's 
Constitutional authority to set the terms for international trade. It 
will allow the American public time and sunlight to see the Trans-
Pacific Partnership and future trade deals for themselves. As Members 
of Congress, we have a duty to our constituents to play the role 
mandated by the Constitution. Not allowing the people access to the 
full discussion would be a disservice to them. I urge my colleagues to 
support the Trade TRANSPAREN-C Resolution to ensure U.S. trade policy 
reflects American principles of representative governance.

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