Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., Ranking Member Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp, R-Mich., joined together January 9 to introduce legislation, the Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities Act of 2014, that will establish strong rules for trade negotiations and Congressional approval of trade pacts, to deliver trade agreements that boost U.S. exports and create American jobs.
Mike Brown, president, National Chicken Council, released the following statement in support of the measure:
"U.S. poultry producers and exporters strongly support the administration's call for bipartisan approval of the Congressional Trade Priorities Act (TPA). Prompt passage of this legislation would not only help to facilitate congressional approval of trade agreements, such as the Trans Pacific Partnership and Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership when concluded, but equally important it would strengthen the hand of U.S. negotiators to take down trade barriers to U.S. chicken at the international trade bargaining table. Passing TPA would also demonstrate more strongly to the international trade community that the United States is most serious in continuing to be the world leader to building trade, increasing economic activity and providing for more workers to benefit from the hard fought agreements."
TPA, also known as "fast-track," allows the president to negotiate free trade agreements (FTA) based on strategic goals and objectives outlined in the legislation, with ongoing congressional oversight. Deals concluded under TPA are subject to congressional approval without amendments.
