House Dems urge human rights protections in trade

Twelve House Democrats and one House Republican on Tuesday warned President Obama to ensure that his massive Asia-Pacific trade agenda includes strong labor and human rights standards — or face losing their support.

Led by Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), the lawmakers wrote that neither trade promotion authority (TPA) nor the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) should advance without the addition of binding and enforceable provisions on those issues.

{mosads}“Support for TPA or a TPP agreement will be heavily influenced by whether or not enforcement mechanisms are included in them to ensure that TPP partner countries comply with international labor standards and human rights,” they wrote.

“We urge the administration to add such provisions in a timely manner before congressional consideration occurs.”

The president has ramped up lobbying his own party to sway wary Democrats to vote to pass TPA, or fast-track authority, that would help streamline trade deals through Congress on an up-or-down vote.

The lawmakers say that countries such as Vietnam, which is part of the 12-nation TPP deal, have a “disturbing” record on human rights.

“Vietnam presents the greatest challenge in ensuring compliance,” the lawmakers wrote. “Vietnamese workers must be free to associate with others, bargain collectively, speak freely, and to organize for their own benefit.”

The fast-track measure elevated human rights to a primary negotiating objective on the TPP but doesn’t provide specific goals.

“The negotiating objective in the TPA bill falls short of providing any guidance on how human rights concerns will be resolved with TPP partner countries,” they wrote.

Michigan Rep. Sandy Levin, the top Democrat on the House Ways and Means Committee, offered a substitute amendment at the panel’s recent markup that included specifics on those issues and others, but it was halted on a point of order.

The letter also raises concerns that Congress has “not yet been provided adequate access to the TPP negotiating text to allow members to properly evaluate the proposed agreement.”

The Democrats signing the letter were Reps. Mark DeSaulnier (D-Calif.), Mike Honda (D-Calif.), Jared Huffman (D-Calif.), Dan Kildee (D-Mich.), Barbara Lee (D-Calif.), Alan Lowenthal (D-Calif.), Jim McDermott (D-Wash.), Linda Sánchez (D-Calif.), Loretta Sanchez (D-Calif.), Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) and Mark Takano (D-Calif.). 

Rep. Chris Smith (N.J.) was the only Republican to sign the letter.

– This story was corrected on May 6 to reflect that the letter was signed by one Republican.