CalChamber Applauds U.S. House for Passing Bipartisan Trade Promotion Bill; Urges Agreement on Trade Adjustment Assistance

By
Susanne T. Stirling
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On Friday, the United States House of Representatives passed the portion of the Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015 that would renew Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) for the Administration. Unfortunately, it did not pass a provision renewing Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) that was part of the Senate bill.

This failure keeps the entire package from being sent to the president for his signature. House passage of TPA follows the strong bi-partisan support it garnered in the Senate last month. The Senate passed the TPA bill on May 22, 62-37, with the support of 14 Democrats, including California U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein and most Republicans.

The California Chamber of Commerce-supported TPA legislation, renews the authority for the President and/or U.S. Trade Representative to negotiate trade agreements. Trade Promotion Authority is vital for the President of the United States to negotiate new multilateral, bilateral and sectoral agreements that will continue to tear down barriers to trade and investment, expand markets for farmers and businesses and create higher-skilled, higher-paying jobs in California and the nation.

The California business community particularly appreciates votes by members of the state Congressional delegation in support of TPA, passed the House on June 12 by a vote of 219 to 211.

California Congressional delegation members who voted in support of the bill include the following members of the House:

Bera (D-Elk Grove), Calvert (R-Corona), Costa (D-Fresno), Davis (D-San Diego), Denham (R-Atwater),  Farr (D-Carmel), Issa (R-Vista), Knight (R-Palmdale),  LaMalfa (R-Richvale), McCarthy (R-Bakersfield), McClintock (R-Roseville), Nunes (R-Tulare), Peters (D-La Jolla), Royce (R-Fullerton), Valadao (R-Hanford), Walters (R-Irvine).

In addition, during the recent United States Conference of Mayors, 14 California mayors, led by Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson, sent a letter to leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives urging passage of TPA-2015.

The California Chamber of Commerce urges members of the House of Representatives to quickly forge an agreement so that TPA can be enacted into law.

Staff Contact: Susanne Stirling

Susanne T. Stirling
Susanne T. Stirling, vice president, international affairs, has headed CalChamber international activities for more than four decades. She is an appointee of the U.S. Secretary of Commerce to the National Export Council, and serves on the U.S. Chamber of Commerce International Policy Committee, the California International Relations Foundation, and the Chile-California Council. Originally from Denmark, she studied at the University of Copenhagen and holds a B.A. in international relations from the University of the Pacific, where she served as a regent from 2012 to 2021. She earned an M.A. from the School of International Relations at the University of Southern California. See full bio.

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