New York, N.Y., June 24, 2015 – The United States Council for International Business (USCIB) hailed the passage of Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) by the U.S. Senate today, as the bill cleared its final legislative hurdle before heading to the president’s desk. TPA will allow the United States to negotiate high-standard trade deals with its partners in Asia and the European Union.
“We thank the Senate for moving TPA forward and urge the president to sign this bill into law as soon as possible,” said USCIB President and CEO Peter Robinson. “The passage of TPA marks a renewed U.S. commitment to trade expansion, especially the Trans-Pacific Partnership, as it will pave the way for market-opening deals that remove barriers to our exports while bringing benefits to American workers and consumers.”
Robinson thanked the TPA bill’s supporters. “This was a difficult vote for many members of Congress, and we applaud the courage and steadfastness of TPA supporters,” he said. “The business community is extremely appreciative of all the hard work that went into this legislation.” He also thanked the Obama Administration, especially U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman, for its work with Congress in getting TPA passed.
Robinson also encouraged Congress to finalize Trade Adjustment Assistance, a bill that provides aid to American workers who have been displaced by trade, and Customs Reauthorization, which will help streamline customs procedures while securing America’s borders.
“We urge Congress and the Administration to move expeditiously on all these elements of the U.S. trade agenda,” Robinson said. “The business community is united behind TPA and we intend to keep the momentum going until it and other trade bills become law.”
USCIB is a founding member of the Trade Benefits America Coalition, an organization of American business associations dedicated to building support for the U.S. trade agenda.
About USCIB:
USCIB promotes open markets, competitiveness and innovation, sustainable development and corporate responsibility, supported by international engagement and regulatory coherence. Its members include U.S.-based global companies and professional services firms from every sector of our economy, with operations in every region of the world. With a unique global network, USCIB provides business views to policy makers and regulatory authorities worldwide, and works to facilitate international trade and investment. More at www.uscib.org.
Contact:
Jonathan Huneke, USCIB
+1 212.703.5043, jhuneke@uscib.org
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