US Senate Passes TPP Fast Track

'A Great Day for Corporate America': US Senate Passes Fast Track

'Shameful' vote all but ensures approval of mammoth trade deals like the TransPacific Partnership

by Deirdre Fulton, staff writer

Common Dreams,

23 June, 2015

In a win for multinational corporations and the global one percent, the U.S. Senate on Tuesday narrowly advanced Fast Track, or Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) —ensuring for all practical purposes the continued rubber-stamping of clandestine trade agreements like the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) and TransAtlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP).

The cloture motion to end debate needed 60 votes and it got just that, passing the chamber60-37. The full roll call is here. A final vote will come on Wednesday. Having overcome the biggest hurdle, the legislation is expected to pass, and will then be sent to President Barack Obama's desk to become law.

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who campaigned vigorously against Fast Track, said the vote represented a win for corporate America. "The vote today—pushed by multi-national corporations, pharmaceutical companies and Wall Street—will mean a continuation of  disastrous trade policies which have cost our country millions of decent-paying jobs," the presidential candidate said in a statement.

And Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), another of the most vocal opponents of Fast Track,railed against TPA moments before the vote, accusing Congress of turning on its "moral" obligation to assist the working class.

"How shameful," Brown said. "We’re making this decision knowing that people will lose their jobs because of our action."

According to The Hill:

Thirteen Democrats backed fast-track in Tuesday’s vote, handing Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) a major legislative victory. Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) voted against the procedural motion.

The Democrats cast "yes" votes even though the trade package did not include a workers assistance program for people displaced by increased trade. The Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program was a part of the last fast-track package approved by the Senate in May, but became a key part of opposition to the package among Democrats in the House.

Lori Wallach, director of Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch, pointed out that the vote only came about via "elaborate legislative contortions and gimmicks designed to hand multinational corporations their top priority."

Such contortions were necessary, she added, "because the American people overwhelmingly oppose these deals, notwithstanding an endless barrage of propaganda."

Indeed, response from the progressive grassroots was fast—and furious.

"We’re outraged that Congress today voted to fast track pollution, rather than the job-creating clean energy we need to address climate change," said May Boeve, executive director of 350.org. "It's clear this deal would extend the world’s dependence on fracked gas, forbid our negotiators from ever using trade agreements in the fight against global warming, and make it easier for big polluters to burn carbon while suing anyone who gets in the way. That’s why we’re so disappointed President Obama has taken up the banner for ramming this legislative pollution through the halls of Congress, in a way he never pushed for a climate bill."

Groups threatened political fall-out for those Democrats who voted in favor of Fast Track.

"Senate Democrats who just voted to proceed on Fast Track for the job-killing Trans-Pacific Partnership openly betrayed the grassroots Democratic activists who helped elect them and have been exceedingly clear in their opposition to any legislation that allows more NAFTA-style trade deals to be jammed through Congress," said Jim Dean, chair of Democracy for America. "The Senate Democrats who allowed Fast Track should know that this vote will be remembered, it will not be erased, and we will hold you accountable."

Wenonah Hauter, executive director of Food & Water Watch, echoed that warning as she declared, "The senators who provided the margin of Fast Track victory will face angry voters in their next elections. Constituents will hold them accountable for putting the interests of transnational corporations ahead of the public."

In addition to calling out Senate Democrats who "betrayed people and the planet" by voting for cloture on Tuesday, National People's Action Campaign executive director George Goehl lambasted "the virtual silence of the leading Democratic candidate for president," which he said "shows the stranglehold corporations have over both political parties."

And Sarah Anderson, director of the Global Economy program at the Institute for Policy Studies, said it was clear who will benefit most if the pending deals are given final passage. Today is a "great day for the big money interests," she said following the Senate vote.

TPP moves step nearer after US vote

The US Senate has approved a measure that will make it easier for President Barack Obama to have the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal signed.

NZ now on a hiding to nothing with TPPA

Jane Kelsey

Scoop,

24 June, 2015

Obama’s machinations win razor thin vote on Fast Track, NZ now on a hiding to nothing with TPPA

Unprecedented procedural machinations and an unholy alliance with the Republicans have secured US President Obama a super-majority to advance his Fast Track bill in the US Senate by a single vote. The bill itself will be voted on tomorrow.

According to University of Auckland law professor Jane Kelsey, ‘The damage to relations between the President and his core Democrat constituency may be irrecoverable, making the content of any final Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) deal a central of next year’s election campaign’.

‘The Republicans will now extract their pound of flesh on behalf of their corporate sponsors and local constituencies. We can expect even more intense pressure to deliver to Big Phrma, demands for more radical restrictions on state-owned enterprises, and renewed pressure to include rules against so-called currency manipulation.’

The Fast Track law also gives Congress a greater say in the ‘certification’ process, where they will oversee other countries’ compliance with US demands before the President can bring any final agreement into force.

‘Attention now shifts to the long-delayed meeting of ministers where the twelve countries will resume their secret negotiations and seek to strike a deal. We should expect that meeting within the next few weeks.’

The US and Japan still need to reach a bilateral agreement on agriculture and automobiles, which is far from certain. If they can, the final trade-offs on crucial social issues like medicine patents and investment rules will begin.

‘Both Prime Minister Key and Trade Minister Groser effectively conceded over the past week that New Zealand is on a hiding to nothing on dairy in the TPPA’, Professor Kelsey said.

Minister Groser has downgraded his bottom line from the elimination of all agricultural tariffs over time to simply requiring that ‘dairy is part of the deal’. Even that is not guaranteed.

‘No-one should be surprised that there’s nothing of substance on the table for New Zealand. Dairy is one of the most sensitive items for the US, Canada and Japan. New Zealand has nothing to trade-off in return, and the government is clearly desperate to be part of a final deal whatever the terms’, Professor Kelsey said.

‘Just as Obama has rolled the dice and “won” at enormous cost to his own party and to working families in the USA, the Key government is prepared to play Russian roulette with our future. The people of New Zealand will be the losers, but unlike the US Congress, our Parliament won’t get the final say’.

Is John Key naive or pulling the wool over New Zealanders's eyes?

Jane Kelsey has it right:

Just as Obama has rolled the dice and “won” at enormous cost to his own party and to working families in the USA, the Key government is prepared to play Russian roulette with our future. The people of New Zealand will be the losers, but unlike the US Congress, our Parliament won’t get the final say’

Precedent shows that when it comes to US corporate interests small nations don't even get a look in. New Zealand will be bullied into signing without getting anything it wants. 

There's no walking away from the process now.

Dairy access stalled as TPP talks get more serious

The Trans-Pacific Partnership trade pact does not yet include an acceptable deal on access for New Zealand's most important exports, dairy products, with little more than a month to go before the controversial 12- nation trade deal could be concluded.

"I think the way I would describe it is there's a deal.

"It's probably not at the level that we would currently like," said Prime Minister John Key at his post-Cabinet press conference.

He was referring to comments last week by Trade Minister Tim Groser that negotiations on dairy access to the heavily protected United States, Canadian and Japanese markets had "barely started".