Trade Promotion Authority: Do We Need a New Approach?

Trade Promotion Authority (TPA), a law that allows the President to “fast-track” trade agreements for approval or disapproval by Congress by only allowing a “yes or no” vote, is a contentious issue. While it is crucial, especially given that the Obama Administration is in the middle of negotiations for two different potentially transformative trade agreements — the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (T-TIP) and the Transpacific Partnership (TPP) — it also raises questions of the appropriate delegation of Congressional authority over trade. How will this round of TPA renewal change the conversation about Trade Promotion Authority going forward? Is it time for a new approach to TPA, perhaps paired with a new approach to trade policy in the United States? Where does the TPA fit with regard to the strategic trade theory America so desperately needs but woefully lacks? And what benefits could be realized from a new approach? Join ITIF for a conversation with an expert panel about the evolution of the TPA.

This event is free, open to the public and complies with ethics rules. This event will be live webcast and recorded. Please be advised that we are streaming offsite and ask that you be patient regarding video buffering. Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox are the best browsers to use for the stream.