CHRIS GIBSON
19th District, New York
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1708 Longworth HOB
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-5614
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http://gibson.house.gov
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HOUSE AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE
Subcommittee on General Farm
Commodities and Risk Management
Subcommittee on Livestock
Rural Development and Credit
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HOUSE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE
Subcommittee on Tactical Air and
Land Forces
Subcommittee on Intelligence,
Emerging Threats, and Capabilities
Subcommittee on Military Personnel
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February 19, 2015
Mr. Thomas A. Pritchard
305 ARNOLD LAKE RD
MILFORD, NY 13807
Dear Mr. Pritchard,
Thank you for contacting me regarding international trade, including the process known as fast track. It is good to hear from you.
Trade negotiations and agreements have the potential to benefit our nation's economy. In our congressional district, over $2 billion in merchandise is exported, supporting thousands of small business jobs. Overall, U.S. exports have risen 40% in the past two years. In the 112th Congress, I voted in support of several fair trade agreements that helped lower trade barriers for our exports and reduce economic unbalances with several trading partners. Foreign trade is particularly important for agriculture in upstate New York. As a country, we have seen an increase in several categories of exports since implementing agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea. Having said that, each agreement needs to be carefully scrutinized to ensure we are getting a fair deal for U.S. firms and workers. The last three agreements Congress passed, lowered tariffs for U.S. goods and supported our manufacturing base. While I believe trade agreements have the potential to significantly increase U.S. exports and fuel economic growth, any potential agreements deserve very careful deliberation and consideration. American workers can compete anywhere in the world if given a fair shot. With trade, the details matter.
Currently, the Administration is negotiating several agreements. To complement their negotiating efforts, the President has request Trade Promotion Authority, also known as "fast-track" authority. This allows the President to present a completed trade agreement to Congress for an up or down vote. The agreement would not be subject to amendment by Congress. In November, I led a letter to the President expressing my opposition to Trade Promotion Authority. I do not believe the Administration has been transparent in their negations and I have outstanding concerns with specific provisions of the ongoing agreements. Therefore, I am opposed to granting the President this authority. Recently, to reiterate these concerns, I joined with 19 Republican Members of Congress in sending a letter to Republican leaders Speaker Boehner and Majority Leader McCarthy asking them to not rush any fast track agreements during the Lame Duck.
The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is a proposed regional trade agreement among the United States, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, Japan and Vietnam. I have serious concerns with this ongoing agreement, as it stands now. While the Pacific region accounts for half of the world's population and contains many of its fastest growing economies, there are many contentious issues yet to be sorted out and we need the time and careful deliberation to do so. The TPP is an extremely unique and complex framework due to regional agreements already in place with some of the partners. It is also ambitious in scope. There are challenges and concerns specific to this region that need to be addressed. Most recently, joined by other representatives, I asked the Administration to include protections from foreign currency manipulation. I have also written the Administration on other issues impacting manufacturing. As the discussions move forward, I will certainly keep your concerns in mind and remain engaged with the Administration and, in the future, will only support the agreement if - like South Korea, Colombia, and Panama - it is a good agreement that benefits my constituents across different industries.
Finally, the Administration is also currently exploring a transatlantic trade and investment agreement. The Administration is hoping to reduce tariff barriers and work to harmonize regulatory regimes. I also plan to remain engaged in this process as well.
Thank you again for contacting me with your thoughts. Please don't hesitate to inform me of your concerns in the future through my website http://gibson.house.gov or over the phone at (202) 225-5614.
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Sincerely,
Chris Gibson
Member of Congress
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