HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2791        FILED ON: 1/20/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2154

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Brendan P. Crighton

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying resolution:

Resolutions to urge the Congress of the United States to reject the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2791        FILED ON: 1/20/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 2154

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 3133 OF 2015-2016.]

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninetieth General Court
(2017-2018)

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Resolutions to urge the Congress of the United States to reject the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement.

Whereas, The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is a proposed free trade agreement currently being negotiated by twelve nations, including the United States. While the draft text includes traditional free trade elements, the TPP moves exponentially beyond the realm of removing or lessening import tariffs, export subsides, and other barriers to the free exchange of goods. In fact, only five of the twenty-nine released draft chapters pertain to these trade issues, leaving the balance to non-trade matters that mar the standard of consumer protections, financial regulations, and internet freedoms that Americans demand; and

Whereas, The trade agreement, as drafted, would adversely revise regulations across the board and reduce access to some goods. TPP would retract numerous U.S. regulations and health safeguards aimed at improving and protecting our environment for the 21st century. Moreover, the trade agreement would relocate millions of American jobs in a turbulent economy to other nations, decrease our access to affordable medicine, increase the volume of unsafe food and goods in American markets, and roll back regulatory safeguards many nations, including the United States, have adopted to restore financial stability; and

Whereas, The widely-publicized plan for certification would undermine Congress' responsibility to conduct a full public review and approval and flies in the face of the long-standing principle of democratic transparency. With the support of the president's administration, senators have proposed using "fast-track" legislation that, if enacted, would limit debate on the TPP, prevent amendments to the agreement, and require an up-or-down vote by both chambers within ninety days. This plan would exacerbate Congress' historically low influence over the language negotiated by the United States Trade Representative. Congress must not abdicate its responsibility to ensure any approved agreement advances the best interests of the American citizenry; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives, That we urge the Congress of the United States to reject the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade agreement; and be it further

Resolved, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President of the United States, the United States Trade Representative, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Massachusetts congressional delegation.