A Fair Playing Field for Americans in Bush Administration Trade Bills

The Bush Administration is currently entering into Trade Agreements with other countries that provide advantages to foreign corporations that are not available to U.S. companies. In some cases, these Trade Agreements are overruling legislation set forward by state and local elected officials without their advice or consent - and without even notifying them. The legislation being shoved aside is supremely important, and includes issues like worker compensation, health care, even land use rules. The Bush Administration is able to do these things through provisions of what is known as "Fast Track Authority," set up by the Nixon Administration in 1974. This Authority will expire in June 2007, and a bill has been introduced in the Tennessee Legislature to issue a recommendation for its replacement. The bill, entitled HR 60, was introduced by Rep. Mike Kernell and will be voted on by the Tennessee House Commerce Committee on Tuesday, May 1, 2007. Contact the House Commerce Committee now to let them know you support HR 60 and that you think all trade agreements should be required to incorporate state and local concerns. This is especially important if you live in the district of any member of the Commerce Committee.

Sample Letter for Campaign

Subject: Please support HR 60 on Tuesday, May 1, 2007

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

I am writing to express my support of HR 60, a bill introduced by Tennessee Rep. Mike Kernell, due to be considered by the House Commerce Committee on Tuesday, May 1, 2007.

HR 60 will help ensure that the rights of workers in states like Tennessee are not overruled by Bush Administration "Fast Track" trade agreements that give foreign countries unreasonable rights to dictate things like land use, worker's compensation, health care laws, and working conditions.

There are a lot of reasons why the passage of HR 60 is so important. The bill would allow the Tennessee Legislature to recommend a replacement for the outdated "Fast Track" authority that is currently being used to stop members of Congress and State Legislators from being involved in crafting trade agreements with other countries.

The Fast Track authority, which was established in 1974 by then-president Richard Nixon, is due to expire in June 2007. HR 60 would recommend provisions for allowing State Legislators and Congress to be cut back into the negotiating process and would ensure that new trade provisions take the concerns of these elected Representatives into account.

HR 60 would also issue a recommendation on behalf of the Tennessee Legislature to ensure that trade agreements include an explicit mechanism for ensuring the prior informed consent of State Legislatures before States are bound to the terms of any trade agreement.

This is very important. Currently, trade agreements being negotiated by the Bush Administration are granting special rights to foreign investors and service providers. The terms of these agreements allow these foreign bodies to challenge laws enacted by state legislators as "barriers to trade" and are placing limits on the powers of State legislatures.

Foreign entities are now being granted power under the terms of many new trade agreements to challenge common economic development and environmental policies set by State Legislatures (including that in Tennessee!) These policies include things like buy-local laws, prevailing wage laws, and policies to prevent offshoring of State jobs.

The Bush Administration has entered new discussions with the World Trade Organization in an effort to alter implementation of the WTO General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS). These negotiations could have longstanding implications for states attempting to expand health care coverage and rein in health care costs. GATS could even curtail things like state and local land-use policy, State regulation of energy, higher education, professional licensing, and much more.

Problems with Bush trade negotiators are being made worse by Fast Track Trade Authority procedures. Fast Track eliminates vital checks and balances established in the U.S. Constitution by circumventing Congress' Constitutional authority to set the terms of trade. In some cases, Congress is not allowed to even vote on these trade agreements before they are written into Federal law by the Bush Administration.

It is for all these reasons, and many more, that I urge you to consider a YES vote for HR 60. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
April 29, 2007

Background Information

Ask Your Legislators to Support State Sovereignty!

On Tuesday, May 1, 2007, Tennessee State House Resolution HR 60, authored by State Rep. Mike Kernell, will be considered by the Tennessee Legislature's House Commerce Committee. Contact the members of the Commerce Committee to let them know of your support for this plan! This is especially important if you live in the district of any of these members.

There are lots of reasons this legislation is so important.

* Bush Administration trade agreements are granting special rights to foreign investors and service providers. The terms of these agreements allow these foreign bodies to challenge laws enacted by state legislators as "barriers to trade" and place limits on the powers of State legislatures.

* The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and other U.S. Free Trade Agreements have granted foreign firms new rights and privileges for operating within a State that exceed those granted to U.S. businesses under State and Federal law.

* Foreign entities are now being granted power under the terms of many new trade agreements to challenge common economic development and environmental policies set by State Legislatures (including that in Tennessee!) These policies include things like buy-local laws, prevailing wage laws, and policies to prevent offshoring of State jobs.

* The Bush Administration has entered new discussions with the World Trade Organization in an effort to alter implementation of the WTO General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS). These negotiations could have longstanding implications for states attempting to expand health care coverage and rein in health care costs. GATS could even curtail things like state and local land-use policy, State regulation of energy, higher education, professional licensing, and much more.

* The Bush Administration's federal government trade negotiators have required states to conform to trade agreement requirements without their consent, and have refused even to copy State legislatures on key correspondence.

* Problems with Bush trade negotiators are being made worse by Fast Track Trade Authority procedures. Fast Track eliminates vital checks and balances established in the U.S. Constitution by circumventing Congress' Constitutional authority to set the terms of trade. In some cases, Congress is not allowed to even vote on these trade agreements before they are written into Federal law by the Bush Administration.

* Cutting out Congress and State Legislatures means no elected representatives outside the Bush Administration has any input or leverage regarding regulations binding states' compliance. Trade agreements being enacted into Federal law by the Bush Administration are forcing state legislatures to comply with hundreds of special regulations demanded by foreign bodies - without any advice, consent or even notification.

* The Fast Track authority, used and abused by the Bush Administration to force passage of these new trade regulations, was established in 1974 by then-president Richard Nixon. It is due to expire in June 2007.

* The passage of HR60 would allow the Tennessee legislature to recommend a replacement for the outdated Fast Track system that is allowing Bush Administration trade representatives to run roughshod over duly elected State and Local Representatives. It would recommend provisions for allowing State Legislators and even Congress to be cut back into the negotiating process and would ensure that new trade provisions take the concerns of these elected Representatives into account.

* HR60 would also issue a recommendation on behalf of the Tennessee legislature to ensure that trade agreements include an explicit mechanism for ensuring the prior informed consent of State legislatures before States are bound to the terms of any trade agreement.

Write the Tennessee House Commerce Committee today!