WAWG
From the Capital Press
The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) has a long road ahead of it before it is approved, an Eastern Washington member of Congress says.
“TPP needs a lot of work,” Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers said. “We’re not close to being at a place to pass TPP.”
McMorris Rodgers, a Republican, said lawmakers are still determining whether the trade deal meets 150 criteria laid out in the trade promotion authority that Congress passed. The U.S. negotiated the TPP with major trade partners such as Japan, Mexico, Canada, Australia and New Zealand and developing nations such as Malaysia, Peru, Vietnam, Chile, Brunei and Singapore. Supporters say it creates a level playing field for regional trade, but critics say it doesn’t deal with the potential for other nations to manipulate the value of their currencies.
McMorris Rodgers said a lot of work remains to be done on trade in general, educating people about its importance for Washington agriculture and the economy.
McMorris Rodgers met with representatives of wheat, cattle, sheep, hay and other interests to hear their concerns during a roundtable discussion April 6 at the McGregor Co. headquarters in Colfax. Read the rest of the story here.