U.S. Trade Promotion Authority Act (H.R. 3009)

Trade Promotion Authority (formerly known as "fast-track") denies Congress the authority to amend trade agreements negotiated by the executive branch. On December 6, 2001, the House of Representatives voted on the Trade Promotion Authority Act of 2001, approving the bill by one vote. On May 23, 2002 the Senate signed a version of trade promotion authority that differs somewhat from the House version. The Senate version retains some Congressional control, and includes more help for American workers who lose their jobs to overseas competition.

On July 26, 2002, a Conference Committee agreed on compromise language - H.R. 3009: The Trade Act of 2002. It was not published until the last minute, and it passed the House by a narrow vote (215-212) at 3:30 am on July 27. The Senate is expected to vote on it this week.

Full text of the legislation, as the language stands on July 29, 2002. This is a link to the text provided by the House Ways and Means Committee.

Intellectual property section of the bill. See Section 2102(B)(4)(c), which states that one of the "principle negotiating objectives is "to respect the Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health, adopted by the World Trade Organization at the Fourth Ministerial Conference at Doha, Qatar on November 14, 2001.

Congressional Letter to USTR on Fast Track/TPA and Essential Medicines. Signed by 22 Members of Congress.

Government Sites

www.tpa.gov.
Summary of HR 3009 prepared by the House Ways and Means Committee.
Trade Promotion Authority and HIV/AIDS Source: Sen. Kennedy's office.
Vote on Trade Promotion Authority. (House Majority Leader site.)
Rep. Allen's critical webpage on Trade Promotion Authority.
USTR Fact Sheet on Trade Promotion Authority. (pdf format)
Links from the Dept. of State Foreign Press Service.
Statements from government oficials.
- July 27, 2002. Statement from President Bush. President Pleased with Trade Promotion Authority Progress
- July 27, 2002. USTR Press Release. Statement from U.S. Trade Representative Robert B. Zoellick on House passage of the Trade Promotion Authority bill.
- May 23, 2002. White House Press Release. President Calls on Congress to Quickly Resolve Differences on Trade Bill
- May 23, 2002. USTR Press Release. Zoellick Praises Senate Passage of Bipartisan Trade Promotion Authority Legislation.

NGO Documents

NGO Websites
Statements and press releases
- July 28, 2002. Statement by John Sweeny. Statement by AFL-CIO President John Sweeney on Passage of Fast Track Trade Legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.
- July 28, 2002. AFL-CIO Press Release. Bush Arm Twisting Squeezes Out Narrow House Fast Track Win.
- July 27, 2002. Statement by Lori Wallach of Public Citizen. Midsummer Night’s Massacre: Controversial 304-page "Trade" Bill Few Have Read is Rammed Through Congress at 3:30AM by Razor Thin Margin.
- May 14, 2002. Action for Community and Ecologyin the Regions of Central America press release. Activists Lock Down in Vermont Senator Jeffords' Office In Opposition to Trade Promotion Authority.
- January 22, 2002. Health GAP Coalition. Fast-Track: A Matter of Life and Death for People With AIDS.
- September 28, 2001. Jesuit Center of Concern Statement on Trade Promotion Authority.
- June 24, 2001. General Board of Church and Society of the US Methodist Church. Oppose Fast Track Trade/Trade Promotion Authority.

News Stories

July 29, 2002. Paul Blustein for the Washington Post. Bush wins battle for new power over trade.
July 29, 2002. BBC News. US Trade Bill Clears Key Vote.
July 28, 2002. Knight-Ridder. House vote gives Bush power on trade pacts.
July 28, 2002. Mike Allen and Juliet Eilperin for the Washington Post. House Backs Trade Power for the President.
July 28, 2002. Dawn.com. US House passes trade bill.
July 28, 2002. Caroline Overington for the Age. Congress Clears the Way for Free Trade Negotiations.
July 27, 2002. Patricia Wilson for Reuters. Bush Marks House Victories, Urges Senate to Act.
July 27, 2002. Jim Abrams for the Associated Press. Bill could speed new trade.
July 27, 2002. Dow Jones Newswire. US House OKs Trade Promotion Bill In 215-212 Vote.
July 27, 2002. Mike Allen and Juliet Eilperin for the Washington Post. What the President Would Get.
May 24, 2002. Jim Abrams for the Associated Press. Senate Passes BiPartisan Trade Bill.
May 24, 2002. Blair Pethel for Bloomberg News. U.S. Senate Fast-Track Vote Sets Up Showdown With House Leaders.
May 24, 2002. BBC News. US President to Get Trade Powers.
May 10, 2002. Reuters. Bush Welcomes Senate Deal on Trade Bill.
May 9, 2002. Mark H. Anderson for the Dow Jones Newswire. Senate, White House Negotiators Reach Deal on Trade Bill.
December 7, 2001. Juliet Eilperin for the Washington Post. Trade Bill Passes House by One Vote.
December 7, 2001. Reuters. Democrat Blasts Textile Deal in House Trade Vote.
December 6, 2001. Doug Palmer for Reuters. Trade Bill Passes House in Victory for Bush.
November 19, 2001. Gauri Kamath for the Economic Times. US bill may deprive developing nations of cheap drugs.
November 13, 2001. Richard Cowan for Reuters. House Delays Trade Bill Vote: Fate Uncertain.
November 9, 2001. Juliet Eilperin for the Washington Post. Slow Going for "Fast Track" Trade Bill.
November 6, 2001. Jim Abrams for the Associated Press. Trade Proposal Slow to Pick Up Votes.
November 5, 2001. Doug Palmer for Reuters. House Votes on Bush Trade Bill Within 2 Weeks.
October 29, 2001. Doug Palmer for Reuters. Businesses Launch Ad Blitz for Bush Trade Bill
Op-Eds/Editorials
- July 25, 2002. New York Times editorial. A Fairer Trade Bill.
- December 12, 2001. David Broder for the Washington Post. A Shaky Victory on Trade.
- November 7, 2001. David Broder in the Washington Post. Getting the Trade Bill Back on Track.
- November 29, 2001. Henry M. Paulson Jr. for the Wall Street Journal. Congress Should Put Trade On the Fast Track.
- November 27, 2001. Daniel Griswold (From the Cato Institute published in the LA Times. Fast-Track Is a Fiscal Jump-Start.

Return to: CPTech Home -> Main IP Page -> IP and Healthcare -> Main Trade Agreements Page