Republicans argued Saturday in their weekly radio address that supporting President Obama’s trade agenda was actually a good way to counter the president’s trade agenda. Rep. Pat Tiberi, R-Ohio, made the case that the legislation President Obama wants Congress to pass, Trade Promotion Authority, in fact restrains his ability to make trade deals and gives lawmakers more say in the process.
“Concerned about transparency? TPA changes the system to one where Americans have 60 days to read a trade agreement before it can even be signed,” he said.
The contradictory message reflects the odd circumstances of the vote. Trade is the rare item where the Republican leadership is allied with the president. Liberals oppose the legislation. Distrust of Obama has caused many on the right to view the bill with skepticism too.
The bill would prohibit Congress from amending trade deals, limiting it to just an up or down vote. Without it, Obama fears the deals would picked apart by Congress, undermining his negotiations with foreign leaders. He has been lobbying Congress hard to pass it.
The Senate approved the legislation last month. The House is the final obstacle and the vote appears to be a toss-up, with only a handful of Democrats backing it and several Republicans leaning against it too.
Tiberi’s speech reflects the leadership’s efforts to keep their own members in line on the debate. He began by echoing the argument that the president has been too secretive regarding his trade negotiations.
“The problem is, the way things work right now, President Obama can negotiate trade agreements on his own and in secret. He doesn’t have to keep you or me informed,” Tiberi said. “It just doesn’t make sense. And it’s certainly not fair to American workers. Why would we allow a system to continue where there’s no transparency or accountability for the president?”
Tiberi then argued that the current version of the legislation — the previous one expired in 2007 — includes enough provisions and safeguards to limit the president’s authority.
“Concerned about a bad deal? TPA makes the president follow dozens of strict objectives in his negotiations so that your priorities come first – not his. If he doesn’t fulfill those obligations, we can vote down the agreement. It’s that simple and straightforward,” Tiberi said.
Left unsaid by the lawmaker is that Congress already has the power to vote down a deal even without the legislation.
