Trade Promotion Authority (Fast-Track): Labor Issues (Including H.R. 3005 and H.R. 3009)

Publication Date: June 2002

Publisher: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Author(s):

Research Area: Trade

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Abstract:

Since trade promotion authority (TPA), formerly called "fast-track negotiating authority" expired in 1994, Congress has been unable to agree on language for its reauthorization. Under TPA, Congress agrees to consider trade agreements which the President has negotiated, on a fast-track basis - without amendment and with limited debate. TPA facilitates the adoption of trade agreements in that it arguably reassures negotiating partners that their carefully crafted concessions will not be changed when Congress votes on the implementing legislation for the agreement.

A key issue in current efforts to reauthorize TPA is the extent to which Congress will allow labor and environment provisions in new trade agreements considered under fast-track procedures. This report traces the congressional TPA-labor debate since 1994 when the previous fast-track authority expired, and compares H.R. 3005 (Thomas), the Bipartisan Trade Promotion Authority Act of 2001, reported by the House Ways and Means Committee on October 16, 2001 (H.Rept. 107-249), H.R. 3019 (Rangel/Levin), the Comprehensive Trade Negotiating Authority Act of 2001, and H.R. 3009, the Senate-passed bill which includes TPA.

H.R. 3005 was passed by the House on December 6, along party lines, by a vote of 215-214. The Senate bill, H.R. 3009, which includes TPA legislation along with trade adjustment assistance, the Andean Trade Preference Act, and extension of certain preferential trade treatment and other provisions, including the Generalized System of Preferences, was passed by the Senate on May 23, 2002, by a vote of 66 to 30. This report will be updated as events warrant.

By way of record, this report also compares H.R. 3005 with H.R. 3019, which was offered as a substitute to H.R. 3005 in the House Ways and Means Committee.