WASHINGTON, D.C. – While text of the final Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement remains off limits to Congress days after the deal was announced, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) today urged President Barack Obama to make the agreement accessible to Members of Congress and their cleared staff before he announces his intent to sign the agreement. Brown has raised concerns over lack of access to the text during negotiations, how the deal would impact the auto industry, and its lack of meaningful currency provisions

“Access to the text has been inadequate throughout the TPP negotiations. A copy of the agreement was not readily available for Members of Congress until we demanded it. And even after the text was deposited in the secure reading rooms in the House and Senate, Members had to ask USTR for TPP annexes and other related documents to be made available,” said Brown in the letter. “In addition, despite repeated requests, congressional staff with the necessary security clearance are still prohibited from seeing the text on their own. Announcing your intent to sign the agreement before we are able to read TPP calls into question just how consultative and deliberative the legislative process will be.”

Full text of the letter is below:

Dear President Obama:

I am pleased that you have committed to a long, healthy process of discussion and consultation before congressional action on the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement.  Meaningful congressional consultations are necessary for devising trade policy that is good for American workers, and key to those consultations is access to the trade agreement itself.  As part of that commitment, I urge you to make available to Members of Congress, their cleared staff, and cleared advisors the entire TPP text before you notify us of your intent to sign it. 

Access to the text has been inadequate throughout the TPP negotiations.  A copy of the agreement was not readily available for Members of Congress until we demanded it.  And even after the text was deposited in the secure reading rooms in the House and Senate, Members had to ask USTR for TPP annexes and other related documents to be made available.  In addition, despite repeated requests, congressional staff with the necessary security clearance are still prohibited from seeing the text on their own.  Announcing your intent to sign the agreement before we are able to read TPP calls into question just how consultative and deliberative the legislative process will be. 

You have called the TPP the “most progressive, high-standard trade deal ever crafted.” While I am not sure I will ultimately agree with that statement, I am waiting to make a decision until I have reviewed the text.  I have been pleased by reports that tobacco companies will no longer be able to use investor-state to challenge tobacco control measures in TPP countries.  And I am hopeful real progress was made in many other areas of concern.   But my colleagues and I cannot laud the progress made in this agreement or engage on areas that need improvement until we have seen the TPP.  That is why I urge you to delay notifying Congress until Members, their cleared staff, and cleared advisors have had access to the complete text.

Thank you for your consideration of this letter. I look forward to working with you to improve transparency and consultations in U.S. trade policy.

Sincerely,

Sherrod Brown

 

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