As Congress moves forward in its work on America’s trade policy, you may be hearing a lot of back and forth about the process and substance of the new, high-standards trade agreement the Administration is negotiating, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).
The President is committed to ensuring that when we do trade, we do right by American small businesses, American workers, and people across the globe. Scrutiny is important – after all, as President Obama has said, past trade deals haven’t always lived up to the hype. And many people who care deeply about this issue are raising important questions on what the trade deal is about and how it will impact our country.
But, if you’re listening to the discussion, it can be hard to understand what the questions mean and what the answers are. So here’s a quick rundown on the buzz you might be hearing about TPP, and some answers to questions you might be asking:
Is this trade agreement being kept secret from the American people?
The TPP negotiations are still ongoing, so there is no final agreement to review. But public input is vital to the process, and that is why the Administration has taken new steps to share our priorities and get feedback throughout the negotiation process. We’ve:
- Published detailed summaries of U.S. objectives in negotiating all aspects of the agreement
- Solicited public comments on negotiation aims, priorities and concerns, including through the Federal Register
- Held public hearings inviting input on the negotiations
Congress’ voice is critical as well. In addition to more than 1,700 briefings with Congress, the trade promotion legislation they are currently considering will lay out specific and public negotiating objectives for the Administration.
Most importantly, the American people will be able to review every single word in the TPP and any trade agreement before the President signs it. As the President said: Every comma, every period, every semicolon. In fact, if Congress passes trade promotion authority -- for the first time ever -- it will be required by law that the agreement be made public for a minimum of 60 days before the President signs the agreement and for additional months before Congress votes on it – and we believe that’s a good thing.
President Obama to the @WSJ on how he's ensuring transparency in trade negotiations. #LeadOnTrade #TPP https://t.co/r9BhubwxDk
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) April 28, 2015
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