Key Vote Alert on TPA Bill

KEY VOTE ALERT

“YES” on Flake Amdt to Strike TAA (#1243)

“NO on Portman Currency Admt (#1299)

The Club for Growth urges all Senators to vote “YES” on Sen. Flake’s amendment (#1243) to strike Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) from the Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) bill (H.R. 1314).  The Club also urges Senators to vote “NO” on Sen. Portman’s amendment to insert protectionist currency language into the proposal.  Votes are expected sometime this week.  These votes will be included in the Club for Growth’s 2015 Congressional Scorecard.

The Club for Growth supports TPA.  We believe that it is both constitutional and can lead to the passage of pro-growth trade agreements.  But this bill includes the wasteful TAA welfare program in an attempt to buy Democrat votes.  This is the sort of political logrolling that appalls American taxpayers, just like the unholy marriage of farm subsidies and food stamps.

Likewise, the currency amendment is a protectionist rider that will incite a trade war and do harm to the economy.  Senators devoted to free trade and free markets should demand that TPA be voted on as a standalone measure without being weighed down by protectionist language or an inefficient, big government program.

Our Congressional Scorecard for the 114th Congress provides a comprehensive rating of how well or how poorly each member of Congress supports pro-growth, free-market policies and will be distributed to our members and to the public.