Crs Report for Congress: Trade Promotion Authority (Tpa) and the Role of Congress in Trade Policy

ISBN-10: 1293021040
ISBN-13: 9781293021040
Series: Crs Report for Congress
Pages: 26
Language: English
Published: 2013-10
Publisher: BiblioGov
Authors: William H. Cooper, Congressional Research Service: The Libr, J. F. Hornbeck

Description

On July 1, 2007, Trade Promotion Authority (TPA--previously fast track), expired. TPA is the authority Congress grants to the President to enter into certain reciprocal (free) trade agreements (FTAs), and to have their implementing bills considered under expedited legislative procedures, provided he observes certain statutory obligations in negotiating them. TPA defines how Congress has chosen to exercise its constitutional authority over a particular aspect of trade policy, while presumably giving the President added leverage to exercise his authority to negotiate trade agreements by effectively assuring U.S. trade partners that final agreements will be given swift and unamended consideration. TPA reflects years of debate, cooperation, and compromise between Congress and the Executive Branch in finding a pragmatic accommodation to the exercise of each branch's respective authorities over trade policy. The core provisions of the fast track legislative procedures have not changed since first enacted in 1974, although Congress has expanded trade negotiation objectives, oversight, and presidential notification requirements. While early versions of fast track/TPA received broad bipartisan support, renewal efforts have become increasingly controversial as fears have grown over the negative effects of trade, and as the trade debate has become more partisan and constituent driven, culminating in a party-line vote ...