The House Friday afternoon approved fast-track legislation, known as Trade Promotion Authority, by a vote of 219-211. That produced cheers from the floor, but there's a hitch. And unless it's fixed, TPA won't reach the president's desk.
The TPA vote followed a vote to reject the Trade Adjustment Assistance bill by 126-302. The TAA legislation would have funded retraining workers displaced by trade pacts. Democrats who normally would have voted for such legislation voted heavily against it as part of a tactic to block TPA. Under a procedural rule passed Thursday, if TAA failed, TPA could not be sent to the president. Originally, in fact, the plan was not to hold a vote on TPA at all if TAA failed. But Republican leaders changed their minds after the parliamentarian reportedly informed them that the TPA vote was okay as long as TAA would be reconsidered.
So the House will take up TAA again early next week. If more nudging and cajoling and arm-twisting by President Obama don't succeed in reversing that vote, TPA will remain in limbo.
Democrat after Democrat argued in debate that the fast-track trade legislation pushed by President Obama is a bad idea. Republican after Republican argued that it is essential if America wants to have a say in setting the parameters of the world's future economy.
Rep. Sander Levin of Michigan, a leader of the anti-TPA Democratic forces in the House said that although he has worked for expanded trade in the past, the trouble with the legislation is that it contains nothing on currency manipulation or about the unregulated corporate arbitration panels that would allow foreign corporations to sue over a nation's regulations they deemed unfair. Levin also said Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which would be expedited under TPA, is not progressive, as President Obama has stated. "TPP is going in the wrong direction on access to medicine and in some important ways on environmental protection, Levin added."
Head below the fold for more on TPA.
From the pro TPA side, there was a lot about more jobs being created and worry about China eating our lunch if the legislation didn't pass.
Democratic Rep. Xavier Becerra of California said there is a need to have other countries to play by the rules. But, he said, the rules are rigged against America. Without currency manipulation prohibition being included, other countries can cheat and so companies cheat, he added. "We have to do much better. We should vote this down and get a better deal."
Rep. Jerrold Nadler of New York was one of a number of Democats who raised the issue of private corporate tribunals ruling in lawsuits brought by foreign companies that believe regulations treat them unfairly. Other Democrats and a few Republicans discussed how thousands of jobs have been lost in their districts because of trade agreements.
Citing climate change and the financial crisis that is still having an impact on her constitutents, Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, who had maintained a publicly neutral stance, spoke about slowing down fast-track and said she was voting against both TAA and TPA.
The so-called "Godwin Rule" was broken by one representative. Tea partier David Schweikert of Arizona did the honors, saying:
"Have you ever had one of those moments when you are compelled to come running down here and come up to the mic just because you are so enraged with the duplicity of some of the things you are hearing?
"Some of the crazy things I'm seeing put out in the media by Big Labor, the willingness to make up stories, to make up facts, Goebbels would be very proud of them."
Joseph Goebbels was Hitler's Nazi propaganda minister.