House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi is trying to find a way to grant President Obama Trade Promotion or Fast Track Authority. South Dakota Farmers Union President Doug Sombke says however that there are real concerns with giving that authority and with recent and pending trade agreements. He says for them to work, the deficit problem must be solved.
Pelosi says for many members of her own party to support TPA and the trade deals, safeguards must be reached against currency manipulation and high standards met for labor and environmental protections. Sombke says even if those are met, there’s still the problem of the type of trade policy that failed to what he calls the failed NAFTA.
Republicans who now control both the House and the Senate are pushing hard for TPA in order to get TPP and other agreements passed. President Obama also wants TPA in order to push forward his trade agenda.