NRF Urges Senate to Quickly Consider TPA
WASHINGTON, DC – The National Retail Federation today issued the following statement from Senior Vice President for Government Relations David French on House passage of a stand-alone Trade Promotion Authority bill, which will provide Congress with new oversight responsibilities over pending and future trade agreements:
“We applaud House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. for their commitment to free and open trade and working with Republicans and Democrats alike to salvage the economic and international trade agenda.
“Today’s vote on trade promotion authority (TPA) will grant Congress new powers and responsibilities to craft and monitor our 21st century trade policy, and aid our trade representatives as they work to negotiate pending and future trade agreements, including the Trans-Pacific Partnership and Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership.
“We urge the Senate to quickly consider the stand-alone TPA bill so it can move to the president’s desk for his signature. They should also finish work on other trade-related bills, including trade adjustment assistance and customs and preferences.
“The world is watching the U.S. Congress and our nation’s commitment to free and open trade.”
NRF is the world’s largest retail trade association, representing discount and department stores, home goods and specialty stores, Main Street merchants, grocers, wholesalers, chain restaurants and Internet retailers from the United States and more than 45 countries. Retail is the nation’s largest private sector employer, supporting one in four U.S. jobs – 42 million working Americans. Contributing $2.6 trillion to annual GDP, retail is a daily barometer for the nation’s economy.