22 May Footwear Industry’s Response to Senate Passage of TPA
Tonight the U.S. Senate passed the Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act (TPA-2015) by a vote of 62 to 37. The House of Representatives will now consider the TPA-2015 bill along with several other trade measures passed by the Senate. FDRA sent a letter to every Senator this week urging passage of TPA and joined a coalition letter with 274 businesses and associations to support the bill.
FDRA President Matt Priest commented on the bill’s passage:
“We applaud the Senate for passing Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) legislation today. We are encouraged by the strong, bipartisan vote in the Senate and urge the House of Representatives to vote on the bill as soon as it returns from the Memorial Day recess. TPA is essential to completing the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a free trade agreement that could help the U.S. footwear industry and American consumers save hundreds of millions of dollars each year in costs. Our industry paid $2.7 billion in duties last year — more than $450 million from TPP partner countries alone. FDRA has worked for years to highlight the hundreds of thousands of U.S. footwear jobs that rely on our ability to move goods all over the world, with trade supporting one in five jobs in America. As this legislation moves in the House, FDRA will continue to lead the charge with congressional leaders to share our story and explain how TPA and the Trans-Pacific Partnership will strengthen and expand these jobs throughout the U.S.”
Statement by President Obama on Senate Passage of Trade Promotion Authority and Trade Adjustment Assistance
Today’s bipartisan Senate vote is an important step toward ensuring the United States can negotiate and enforce strong, high-standards trade agreements. If done right, these agreements are vital to expanding opportunities for the middle class, leveling the playing field for American workers, and establishing rules for the global economy that help our businesses grow and hire by selling goods Made in America to the rest of the world. This Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) legislation includes strong standards that will advance workers’ rights, protect the environment, promote a free and open Internet, and it supports new robust measures to address unfair currency practices. The legislation also includes an important extension of Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) to help all American workers participate in the global economy.
I want to thank Senators of both parties for sticking up for American workers by supporting smart trade and strong enforcement, and I encourage the House of Representatives to follow suit by passing TPA and TAA as soon as possible.