24 Jun Footwear Industry Laces Up for TPP as TPA Clears Final Hurdle
Today with the passage of Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) in the U.S. Senate by a vote of 60 to 38, the final legislative hurdle for this important bill has been cleared as it now heads to President Obama for his signature. As TPA becomes law, the 12 nations currently negotiating the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPA) can move quickly to finalize any remaining issues yet to be wrapped up in this historic agreement.
FDRA President Matt Priest commented on the bill’s final passage:
“After a long and challenging few weeks, the footwear industry is extremely excited about the final passage of Trade Promotion Authority and the road ahead to finalizing the Trans-Pacific Partnership. The U.S. Congress, in a bipartisan way, has provided President Obama with the tools and instructions he needs to complete the agreement, increasing jobs and economic opportunity for all Americans. FDRA and its members thank the President and Congressional leaders for their tireless efforts in advancing TPA and we look forward to advocating on behalf of our industry as TPP is finalized and sent to the Hill for consideration.”
“This was truly a team effort as the footwear industry rallied to the cause of economic expansion and job growth and I want to thank all involved for their efforts. This truly was a historic win for our industry today.”
About the Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America:
Founded in 1944 by the footwear industry, the Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America (FDRA) is the largest footwear trade association in the US. It represents and serves the entire width footwear industry from small family owned footwear businesses, U.S. footwear factories, and global footwear companies. It also represents and serves the full supply chain of the footwear industry from research, design and development, to manufacturing and distribution, to retailers selling to consumers all over the globe.