Washington, DC - By voice vote today, the Senate Finance Committee approved the Peru Free Trade Agreement and the customs, procurement, illegal logging, and other provisions it implements. Today’s vote follows the committee’s “mock markup" of the measure on September
21, during which the panel gave broad, bipartisan support to the draft legislation with no amendments. This vote concludes the panel’s consideration of the pact, which will next be considered by the full Senate for an up-or-down vote, in accordance with the Trade Promotion Authority Act, or "fast track" procedures. Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.)
today praised the landmark environmental and labor requirements included in the pact pursuant to a bipartisan trade deal struck between Congress and the administration last May.
“This agreement holds the bar higher than ever to protect labor and environmental standards that will benefit generations to come," Baucus said. “But it should be noted that this pact will deliver benefits today, too. It will deliver the fair deal that American workers and businesses deserve from their trading partners. I’m pleased with the opportunities this pact will provide the people in both countries, and hope it can be used as a framework for agreements to come."
The full text of the implementing bill is available on the legislation page of the Finance Committee website.
Source: Ranking Member’s News
