May 21, 2015, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement responding to the Senate vote advancing fast track legislation granting trade authority to President Barack Obama to negotiate the Trans-Pacific Partnership:

“The Senate vote was never in question. The battle has always been in the House. Every day, House leaders like Jim Jordan and Jeff Duncan step forward opposed it. 8 Republican presidential aspirants have come out against the trade deal. Everything points to a stinging defeat in the House of President Obama’s disastrous attempt to rewrite the rules of the world’s economy.”

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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May 20, 2015, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement urging the U.S. Senate to reject cloture on granting trade authority to President Barack Obama to negotiate the Trans-Pacific Partnership:

“It is absurd to rush the close of debate on efforts to fast track a trade deal that is enormous, long-lasting, and will have a negative impact on America. Ultimately, the trade agreement will do nothing about currency manipulation overseas, the most important trade issue facing U.S. exporters, workers, and consumers. Whether you support or oppose the Trans-Pacific Partnership, senators should reject giving short shrift to legitimate debate and real amendments to the agreement.”

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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May 19, 2015, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement responding to a 92 to 0 vote in the Senate to “establish consideration of the conditions relating to religious freedom of parties to trade negotiations as an overall negotiating objective of the United States”:

“The unanimous vote in favor of our trading partners respecting the religious freedom of their residents highlights the futility of the fast track amending process, as if the Senate alone was voting to abolish Sharia law. Brunei, one of the eleven trading partners in the soon to be completed Trans-Pacific Partnership, practices Sharia law, and this amendment will not do a thing to stop it. Senators can support these show votes all they want, but ultimately, they must reject fast track because all of these amendments highlight very good reasons to reject the deal, and none of them will alleviate those concerns.”

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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May 18, 2015, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement urging Senate Republicans to reconsider their support of granting trade promotion authority to President Barack Obama to negotiate the Trans-Pacific Partnership and other trade agreements in light of more Republican presidential aspirants coming out against the deal:

“With Chris Christie now coming out against fast track, joining presidential aspirants Bobby Jindal, Carly Fiorina, Rand Paul, Donald Trump, Lindsey Graham and Mike Huckabee, it is clear that Republican voters are dead set opposed to granting trade authority to President Obama. Meanwhile, Senate Republicans are risking seats in 2016 in Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin to get the legislation passed, jeopardizing any majority in the Senate a new Republican president might enjoy, and making it harder to win the states he or she will need in order to even get to the White House.”

Attachments:

Chris Christie comes out against trade authority for Obama on Laura Ingraham Show, May 13, 2015 at http://www.lauraingraham.com/b/Chris-Christie-Comes-Out-Swinging-Against-Obama-Rubio-Fast-Track-And-Foreign-Workers/310818663719163797.html

Ingraham: What’s your take on giving Obama this fast track trade authority, this is a huge issue in Congress right now. A lot of Republicans are working with Obama although they didn’t campaign on doing that but know they are working with Obama on this issue. What is your take on that?

Christie: Well listen, I’ve said that the only way I would give fast track trade authority to a president, was if it was a president that could actually trust and negotiate well, and after watching the way this president has negotiated with folks in Iran. I have real concerns about giving this president the ability to negotiate on his own. I believe in general in giving the executive more authority to negotiate trade agreements, I have real concern on giving this president executive trade authority.

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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 May 18, 2015, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement commenting on Senate amendments being offered to the trade promotion authority legislation:

“Americans for Limited Government is gratified that so many Senators are concerned with the disastrous potential impact of the Trans-Pacific Partnership that they are attempting to negate these harms through amending the fast track enabling legislation.

“We believe that these efforts, while noble, are ultimately futile, as they will not prevent the enactment of a trade agreement or its implementing legislation containing offensive provisions under expedited fast track procedural rules. Even language which explicitly strips fast track authority if certain provisions are not met is only as good as Congress’ willingness to enforce them. Given recent history and the support for fast track demonstrated by leadership in both Houses, stripping the authority once granted is extremely improbable.

“What’s more, no legislation can handcuff future legislation from its repeal or amendment. Supreme Court Justice David Souter elaborated in United States v. Winstar, 518 U.S. 839 (1996), ‘[W]e have recognized that a general law…may be repealed, amended or disregarded by the legislature that enacted it, and it is not binding upon any subsequent legislature…’ quoting Manigault v. Springs, 199 U.S. 473 (1905).

“The trade agreement and its implementing legislation will be submitted to Congress under fast track rules ‘notwithstanding any other provisions or prior laws.’

“This is why those in Congress who are so concerned about the impacts of the Trans-Pacific Partnership that they would offer or vote for restricting amendments, can best show that concern by voting down granting President Obama what Senate Leader Mitch McConnell called, ‘an enormous grant of power’ and allowing any agreement, partnership or treaty that the President signs to be subject to full Congressional scrutiny.”

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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May 14, 2015, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement blasting the Senate for proceeding to legislation granting President Obama trade promotion authority to negotiate the Trans-Pacific Partnership:

“Americans for Limited Government has always believed that giving President Obama fast track trade authority will be decided by the House of Representatives.  The fact that it has taken months for the Senate to begin this debate shows the deep political concerns in the Republican Party on this issue.  This opposition is even more apparent in the House, and as the issue heats up on the presidential campaign trail, five Presidential aspirants have already come out opposed including: Bobby Jindal, Carly Fiorina, Donald Trump, Rand Paul, and Mike Huckabee. Additionally, Representative Jeff Duncan’s just released opposition to fast track is just one more domino to fall that blocks a pathway to passage in the House.

“In the meantime, without enforceable currency provisions in the trade authority itself, these votes risk Senate Republican seats in Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin to name just a few, putting the Senate majority in real jeopardy in 2016. Rather than continuing down this politically ruinous course, Republican leaders should promote solutions that unite the Party, instead of those that deepen the divide between the big business wing and the voters Republicans need to win.”

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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May 13, 2015, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement blasting Senate Democrats for abandoning their opposition to granting trade promotion authority to President Barack Obama and ceding their demands for enforceable currency provisions in fast track bill itself:

“Senate Democrats are abandoning American workers concerned that their jobs may be shifted overseas due to unfair trade related to currency manipulating nations in the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Doing a trade bill without monetary policy—the primary mechanism nations use to make their exports cheaper—ensures that the Trans-Pacific Partnership is neither free nor fair. The house of cards gamesmanship that was played yesterday to fool constituencies about the Democrat stance on fast track is exposed by this latest capitulation on currency manipulation.

“No one can vote for fast track and claim with a straight face they opposed currency manipulation. It is time for Senate Majority Leader McConnell to end the charade of fast track and return to the politically viable business of the Senate.”

Attachments:

“Fast-Track Bill Needs Enforceable Currency Provision,” By Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Wall Street Journal, May 13, 2015 at http://www.wsj.com/articles/fast-track-bill-needs-enforceable-currency-provision-1431470983

“Path to Pacific Trade Deal May Open in Senate After All,” By Jonathan Weisman, May 13, 2015 at www.nytimes.com/2015/05/14/us/path-to-pacific-trade-deal-may-open-in-senate-after-all.html?smid=nytpolitics&_r=0

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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May 12, 2015, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement responding to the Senate blocking trade authority to President Barack Obama to negotiate the Trans-Pacific Partnership:

“Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell should permanently shelve attempts to grant trade authority to President Obama. With five Republican presidential aspirants all opposed including Rand Paul, there is no reason for McConnell to waste any more of the Senate’s time on this issue. This is particularly true given the almost impossible odds fast track now faces in the House of Representatives. It’s time to say buh-bye to fast track.”

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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