TPA legislation to expand US poultry sales

Bipartisan, bicameral Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) legislation has been introduced in the US to boost exports. According to the National Chicken Council passage of TPA would help ensure foreign access for US chicken, generate more farm income, jobs in rural districts, and improve the US trade balance.

At one time, Russia and China were the United States’ two largest poultry export markets, but these two markets have been severely disrupted with trade curtailed from previous levels. “It is now more important than ever to expand poultry sales to other world markets,” said National Chicken Council President Mike Brown.

Strengthen the position of US international trade negotiators

“Prompt passage of this legislation would strengthen the position of US international trade negotiators as they continue to move forward with new agreements, such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership,” said Brown.

The Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015 (TPA-2015) outlines 21st century congressional negotiating objectives that any administration – Republican or Democratic – must follow when entering into and conducting trade talks with foreign countries while also increasing transparency by requiring that Congress have access to important information surrounding pending trade deals and that the public receive detailed updates and see the full details of trade agreements well before they are signed. When the trade agreement meets the United States’ objectives and Congress is sufficiently consulted, the legislation allows for trade deals to be submitted to Congress for an up-or-down vote, an incentive for negotiating nations to put their best offer forward for any deal. At the same time, the bill creates a new mechanism to withdraw TPA procedures and hold the administration accountable should it fail to meet the requirements of TPA.