Scary Trump win

Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)



Negotiations for the TPP (originally called the Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement, or TPSEP) began in 2005. There are currently 12 member countries participating in the negotiations: Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the U.S. and Vietnam.


The goal of the TPP is to “promote jobs and growth in the United States and across the Asia-Pacific region.” The agreement’s passage and implementation is a major priority for the current administration’s trade agenda, and for the president’s last two years in office.


Democrats typically oppose American free trade agreements because of a lack of labor and environmental protections, or failure to enforce them. Despite the administration’s promise that this is “the most progressive trade deal in history,” many Democrats have not yielded on their disapproval of the agreement.



Trade Promotion Authority (TPA)


The past several weeks have seen immense controversy in Congress surrounding the passage of Trade Promotion Authority (TPA), or fast-tracking, for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) deal.



While the Obama administration has pushed hard for Congress to grant TPA, the president has been met with significant resistance from several members of Congress, and from his own party, in particular.


TPA has been around since 1974.This temporary authority grants presidents the power to negotiate international trade agreements and then send them to Congress for a simple up or down vote. The goal of this “fast-track negotiating authority” (as it was formerly called) is to expedite the legislative process to avoid delays, amendments, or filibusters from Congress, and to ultimately pass a trade bill presented by the president and wrap up the negotiations within a few months.



TPA was most recently granted by the Trade Act of 2002, but that authority expired in 2007. Because TPA negotiations are so intricate, the agreement would be extremely difficult to pass without TPA. Furthermore, leaders in other countries are less likely to participate openly in negotiations if they fear the U.S. Congress will try to introduce amendments to the final deal.


Because the TPA granted in 2002 expired in 2007, the Obama administration began to seek its reauthorization near the beginning of the president’s second term. Legislation to reauthorize TPA was introduced to Congress in April of 2015 as the Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015.



As a result of strong opinions about the TPP among Democrats, passing TPA has come against significant hardship for the president and his office. After a recent failed attempt at passage in the Senate, hope was renewed for the White House as Senate Democrats struck a deal and agreed to consideration of a fast-track authorization.



Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP)



The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) is a free trade and investment agreement being negotiated between the U.S. and the European Union (EU), with a goal of unlocking “opportunity for American families, workers, businesses, farmers and ranchers through increased access to European markets…” Its objectives also include strengthening the relationship between the U.S. and EU economies, increasing jobs, and overall economic growth in both regions. Critics claim that the agreement will assist in increasing corporate power.



The TTIP is a companion agreement to the TPP, and authorization of TPA in Congress will assist in the passing of TTIP. Negotiators have been discussing the agreement since President Obama called for the agreement in his 2013 State of the Union address.