Trans-Pacific Partnership Legislation Collapses in House of Representatives

The Obama administration suffered a big setback in its efforts to get fast-track authority to negotiate the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal after a part of the plan was rejected in Congress today.

U.S. Reps. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) and Keith Ellison (D-MN), who co-chair the Congressional Progressive Caucus, are delighted by this turn of events. Their statement:

The defeat of The Trade Act is a big step towards stopping the job-killing Trans-Pacific Partnership. Today’s victory belongs to people who rely on Medicare, union members, environmental organizers and every single working family in America.

The fight is far from over. President Obama and the Republican majority will not stop pushing until they get the rubber-stamp they need to sign another bad trade deal. The Progressive Caucus will push too, but on the side of Americans who are already struggling to make ends meet. We will oppose any trade deal that lowers wages, endangers our air, land and water and supports human trafficking.