Trade
With 95 percent of the world’s consumers located outside the United States, it should be no surprise that one in five American jobs are tied to global trade. In fact, in Florida, that number is even higher with nearly 2.5 million Floridians employed as a result of trade. Free trade makes our economy stronger by opening up markets for American goods, and our Nation currently runs a trade surplus with the 20 countries that we have signed free trade agreements with, but a trade deficit with non-free trade agreement countries. If we are going to maintain our place as the global economic leader, it is vital that we work to open up new markets through free trade agreements that benefit American businesses and consumers. That is why the House voted on several bills related to trade last week.
It is important to note that none of the measures voted on last week are the pending free trade agreements the Administration is currently working on with countries from Europe to the Asia-Pacific region, including the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). These pending deals are still being negotiated and are not finalized. Let me be clear: I am a proponent of free trade, but I will never vote for a trade agreement that infringes on American sovereignty or relinquishes the constitutional role of Congress. I believe that Congress, as the elected representatives of the American people, should have a seat at the table when trade deals are in the works, and I believe that after trade agreements are finalized, they should be released to the public for a substantial period of time before Congress votes on them so that the American people can decide whether or not we got a good deal. That is why I voted in favor of the Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) bill that the House passed last week.
TPA has been in existence in some form or other and has been provided to every President since Franklin Roosevelt. It simply and importantly sets the ground rules for how trade deals should be negotiated and the procedures that the House and Senate will use to bring these trade deals up after they are finalized. TPA does not change the fact that at the end of the day Congress and only Congress must still vote on whether or not to approve any trade deals.
So what is in the TPA that passed the House last week? TPA for the first time includes transparency measures that would require that all trade deals be made public for at least 60 days prior to Presidential signature. And because trade deals include provisions that impact U.S. laws, any trade deal still has to be approved by Congress before it has the force of law, meaning that after the President signs a deal Congress will still have additional time to weigh in on the measure.
TPA also includes a list of negotiating objectives that must be taken into account when we are negotiating free trade agreements. These objectives are what Congress expects a good free trade agreement should look like, and they run the gambit from instructions on agricultural trade and anti-corruption to intellectual property and the internet and beyond. The whole point of free trade agreements is to knock down barriers that prevent free and fair trade between countries, and so if Congress decides that trade agreements don’t meet these objectives then either the House or Senate can and should vote these deals down.
As a sovereign Nation with a clear and guiding Constitution, we should never cede the rights of the American people or give away sovereignty to international bodies. That is why TPA explicitly reaffirms and states for the first time that no provision of any trade deal overrides local, state, or federal law, and that any decisions by international tribunals, organizations, or other countries will have no effect on laws passed at the local, state, or federal level or on any local, state or federal governments.
At the end of the day, TPA increases transparency, solidifies the role of Congress in free trade negotiations, protects American sovereignty, and helps ensure that our trade negotiators can get the best deal possible for American consumers, businesses, and workers. I voted for TPA because I believe the American people should have the right to read free trade agreements when they are finalized. I voted for TPA because I believe that the role of Congress to drive trade negotiations should be respected. I voted for TPA because I believe that we must not allow China, or any other country, to dictate the rules of the global marketplace. I voted for TPA because I support free trade that helps American businesses create jobs and helps our economy grow. And I voted for TPA because I am proud of the role that our Nation plays as the world’s indispensable economic leader. Given a free and fair playing field American businesses and workers can and will out-compete any other country on this planet, and I am not willing to stand aside and watch as our economic competitors gain strength while we fail to pursue the free trade agreements that are needed to boost our economy.
House Reaches Half-way Mark on Advancing Appropriations Measures
As a staunch fiscal conservative, I believe it is essential that the House work under regular order to consider and pass appropriations measures and ensure that taxpayer dollars are being spent responsibility and that each program receives proper scrutiny. Last week, the House continued its work in passing two appropriations measures, bringing the current total to six.
H.R. 2577, the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016
The House concluded debate and passed H.R. 2577, the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2016, which includes funding for the Department of Transportation, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and other related agencies.
Funding within this bill is targeted at areas that will have the biggest impact on Americans throughout the country, including funding from the Highway Trust Fund for federal highway programs that maintain our the roads and bridges that millions use each day at funding levels equal to fiscal year 2015. In addition, the bill would maintain funding for air traffic control and safety personnel and invest in the modernization of next generation air traffic control systems. H.R.2577 also helps support local communities by providing grant funding for the programs that they utilize to help transportation and housing programs in their areas.
Importantly, the bill also continues the House’s commitment to ending veterans’ homelessness by supporting funding for the 77,000 HUD-VASH vouchers currently in circulation to provide for homeless veterans. No veteran should put their life on the line for our country only face homelessness when they return.
In addition, H.R.2577 maintains the House’s opposition to the President’s unilateral decision to normalize relations with Cuba by placing restrictions on air and cruise travel from the United States to Cuba. Congress has already passed legislation outlining that any normalizations in U.S.-Cuba relations must be contingent on the Cuban government accepting democracy and ending the oppression of its people.
Given the link between critical transportation projects and economic growth, the bill chooses to focus on funding in areas that can help spur our economy and make life better for hard-working Americans, while reducing spending in lower-priority areas, and I voted for it when it passed by a vote of 216-210.
H.R. 2685 – Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2016
The House also passed H.R.2685, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2016 by a vote of 278-149 last week. The legislation funds critical national security needs, military operations abroad, and the health and quality-of-life programs for the our Nation’s service members and their families.
In total, the bill would provide $490.2 billion in discretionary funding and $88.4 billion in Global War on Terrorism funding for war efforts and related costs, which is within the level assumed in the House and Senate budget conference agreement. Importantly, this bill supports the recommended end strength levels; would provide robust funding for research and development (R&D) and operational training programs; would fully fund the authorized 2.3 percent basic pay raise for military personnel, rather than the 1.3 percent as requested by the President's budget; and would maintain 100 percent of troop housing costs through the Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH). In addition, the bill would prohibit the general transfer of any individual detained at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and funds from being used to violate the War Powers Resolution Act.
As a fiscal conservative, I believe we should be good stewards of the taxpayer dollar. This bill does just that without compromising our national security, and I urge my colleagues in the Senate to pass H.R. 2685 without delay.
House Votes to Permanently Extend the Internet Tax Freedom Act
H.R.285, the Permanent Internet Tax Freedom Act, which I cosponsored and strongly support, passed the House last week unanimously. This commonsense legislation would promote freedom, innovation, and commerce by making the current freeze on taxes of internet access or e-commerce permanent. The growth of the internet is an example of what can be accomplished by allowing hard-working Americans to put their skills to use, innovating and helping to grow our economy in a free and open market, and we should not hamper this growth through excessive government regulations or taxes. I urge the Senate to take up this important bill, and I will continue to work with my colleagues to support free market measures that unleash the power of our Nation’s citizens and help foster economic growth.
House Votes to Reauthorize the Commodity Futures Trading Commission to Provide End-users with Market Certainty and to Better Protect Futures Customers and Help Keep Consumer Costs Low
Last week, the House also passed legislation to protect farmers, ranchers, energy utilities and others who use the commodity futures markets to manage risk in their businesses. H.R.2289, the Commodity End-User Relief Act, would reauthorize the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), with reforms intended to provide greater protections for customers, while also making changes to provide relief from harmful Dodd-Frank regulations. By refocusing the CFTC to its original mission to prevent fraud, speculation, and manipulation of commodity prices, H.R.2289 would help ensure that our commodity futures markets run smoothly for all those involved in the process and help meet the needs of our economy.
FloridaDelegation Calls on FTC to Open an Investigation into Companies Targeting Consumers with Fraudulent Online Hotel Websites
Last week, I cosigned a letter along with fellow members of the Florida delegation urging the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to take immediate action and open an investigation into companies targeting consumers with fraudulent online hotel websites. According to the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA), thousands of consumers are misled every year into making reservations through these fraudulent websites and call centers and have cost U.S. travelers upwards of $220 million per year. As one of the top tourist destinations in the United States and around the world, without question, Florida consumers and businesses are directly impacted by these booking scams. Those committing fraud must be held accountable, and I look forward to FTC's response and will continue to monitor the situation, as well as support efforts that help improve online business practices.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Washington Update