Washington Report

U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman signaled late Thursday that the Obama administration plans to convince Congress to pass trade promotion authority by negotiating such  a strong Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement that members of Congress will wish to give the administration to authority to finish it, according to The Hagstrom Report.

Trade Promotion Authority for the president helps to assure leaders of other countries that the U.S. Congress will vote up or down on trade agreements, rather than attempt to amend trade pacts.

“We’ll have the votes provided we bring back a good agreement.  Our focus now is to bring back a good agreement including in agriculture,” Froman said in a speech at a USDA’s Agricultural Outlook Forum dinner shortly before he took off for a negotiating session in Singapore.  He said he is spending a lot of time on Capitol Hill with both parties “laying the foundation for what we hope will be broad bipartisan support.” Froman added that Congress “has recognized the infeasibility” of designating more than 500 people–the membership of the House and Senate–as trade negotiators.”

“Increasing ag trade is important to the entire U.S. economy. There is a whole ecosystem that grows up around agricultural exports, and we know exports grow jobs and good high paying jobs in the United States, ” Froman said.  He pointed out that the finalization of the Panama, Korea, and Colombian free trade agreements have increased sales.  However, “we shouldn’t sugar coat the situation,” he said, pointing out that American producers face high tariffs, a World Trade Organization that is “inconsistent” on farm subsidies, and regulatory barriers that are not based on science.