Aug. 30, 2016, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government issued the following statement in response to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-Ky.) announcement last week to the Kentucky State Farm Bureau that “The current agreement, the Trans-Pacific [Partnership], which has some serious flaws, will not be acted upon this year” by the Senate:
“Senate Majority Leader McConnell’s announcement that he is halting any Senate consideration of the Trans-Pacific Partnership this year because of, ‘serious flaws’ in the agreement is welcome news. McConnell’s declaration that the TPP needs to be renegotiated by a future president in order to win Congressional approval is a recognition of the political realities of trade and the toxicity of the Obama’s agreement.
“The Trans-Pacific Partnership is on life support — but not dead yet. One potential trouble spot is that due to the decision to provide the President fast track trade authority, which mandates that Congress consider any agreement submitted by the President within a date certain. Should Obama choose to force a vote, McConnell should lead the charge to immediately vote the fatally flawed deal down.
“McConnell’s announcement assures that any decisions about the future of the TPP which fundamentally shifts the world’s economic arrangements will be made in a regular session of Congress, free from the outsized special interests influence that pervade a lame duck session. In making this decision, McConnell is putting the good of the country ahead of President Obama’s desire to cement his legacy and the American people owe McConnell a debt of gratitude for this smart and courageous decision.”
Interview Availability: Please contact Americans for Limited Government at 703-383-0880 ext. 106 or at media@limitgov.org to arrange an interview with ALG experts including ALG President Rick Manning.
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