WASHINGTON - Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Sander Levin (D-MI) today delivered the following remarks on the House floor in opposition to H.Res. 305, the rule for TPA, TAA, and the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015:
This rule covers three bills.
It covers TAA and TPA. I asked Rules to place in order a substitute bill on TPA. That would have helped a full discussion of the issues affecting 40% of global GDP.
Under the rule, if a majority does not vote for TAA, there will not be a vote on TPA tomorrow. This will give the House another opportunity to improve TPA and TAA, of which I am an author. TAA should not be a bargaining chip for a flawed TPA bill.
The third bill, customs, weakens the TPA bill on human trafficking, prohibits any provisions in TPP relating to climate and immigration, and strikes out the Schumer provision on currency manipulation. The manager’s amendment on currency is more rhetorical language without any teeth.
I urge a No vote on the rule.
