If the fast-track process is approved, Congress will not be able to amend the TPP, whatever ends up being in it. Congress would be allowing itself only limited debate and would have to give it an up-or-down vote within a very limited timeframe, with no filibusters.
No other kind of treaty or law is granted an exclusion from the transparency and process requirements of the Constitution. So-called "trade" agreements, however, are believed to be unable to pass if the public and Congress is allowed to "meddle" and "interfere," which could cause the agreements to need a more lengthy negotiation period.
Also, recent "trade" agreements involve several countries at a time instead of resolving trade issues that are particular to the U.S. and another country.
Not Really About "Trade" At All
This is widely called a "trade" vote, but from what is known about the actual TPP agreement (it's secret from the public) it is largely about things other than what would usually be understood as trade. For example, one provision called investor-state-dispute-settlement (ISDS) has been leaked to Wikileaks so it is known that it allows corporations to sue governments for laws and regulations that interfere with the corporation's ability to collect current and "expected" profits.
Another leaked provision revives the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) that Congress killed a few years ago. Yet another extends patents and copyrights far beyond what Congress has approved.
The Hill has been maintaining a "whip list" of who is for or against the fast-track bill. As of late Thursday, 118 Republicans and 20 Democrats were either declared or leaning "yes" votes. There were 44 Republicans and 135 Democrats declared or leaning "no." That left 33 Democrats and 83 Republicans in the "undecided" column.
Especially the members who are undecided need to feel the heat from you to vote against fast track. If you have not made that call to your member of Congress, use our click-to-call tool to make that call now.
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
1
