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Sen. Whitehouse Statement on "Fast Track" Trade Bill Passage

Statement

Date: May 22, 2015
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Executive Branch Trade Legislative Branch

Today, the U.S. Senate voted to approve Trade Promotion Authority legislation, which will provide the Executive Branch with greater authority to negotiate future trade agreements by limiting the Senate's ability to block or amend them. U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) voted against the legislation, and released the following statement regarding its approval:

"I'm disappointed that the Senate approved this legislation today. Past free trade deals have undermined Rhode Island jobs and our environment by encouraging outsourcing and rewarding the sub-par labor and environmental standards of foreign countries. We should have preserved our ability to carefully review and amend future deals to prevent the same mistakes. Nonetheless, I'll continue doing everything I can to protect Rhode Island workers by voting against bad trade deals and speaking out about their shortfalls."


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