Washington, D.C. – June 15, 2015 – (RealEstateRama) — Congressman Ted S.Yoho (R-FL-03) voted against granting Trade Promotion Authority (TPA/ “Fast Track”) to the Obama Administration. This bill would, grant the administration the authority to negotiate trade agreements subject to a number of requirements and objectives. Congressman Yoho gave the following statement:
“I cannot- in good faith – give our president “fast-track” authority to negotiate complicated trade pacts with foreign governments with almost no oversight from the legislative branch. His Administration – which has brought us Obamacare, executive amnesty, and egregious EPA overreach – has shown time and again a penchant for weak negotiating with the likes of Iran, Russia, Cuba, Iraq, and China.
“The fast-track bill completely rewrites legislative procedure to make it much easier to force bad legislation through Congress. If enacted, Congress could not amend trade legislation or properly examine and debate the deals because TPA accelerates the timeline for review. The Senate would even give up its normal 60-vote threshold, opting instead for a simple up-or-down vote on Obama’s bills.
“This country’s founders set up a system of checks-and-balances very purposefully and carefully. They were specific when they stated, “Congress shall have power to regulate commerce with foreign nations. TPA simply solidifies a very bad precedent and legitimizes the further transfer of congressional power to an administration with a bad track record.”
