America Gives More Act of 2015
Floor Speech
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Mr. VAN HOLLEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to the Customs bill--a bill that was included as part of a trade package that includes Trade Adjustment Assistance and Trade Promotion Authority, also known as Fast Track. This vote represents a flawed and hurried process to expedite the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement. Moreover, the Customs Bill fails to strengthen trade policy and enforcement and instead is being used as a way to weaken TPA and its negotiating objectives.
While the Customs bill is designed to modernize customs operations and promote enforcement at the border through trade laws, it takes a number of steps back in these areas. For example, this bill cuts funding for the Interagency Trade Enforcement Center and the Trade Enforcement Trust Fund. It also removes a currency manipulation provision that passed out of the Senate with bipartisan support that would have imposed countervailing duties against countries that manipulate their currencies. I am also troubled by a provision that weakens a human trafficking negotiating objective that would have prevented the U.S. from entering into trade agreements with countries in the State Department Human Trafficking Report such as Malaysia, by allowing the President to simply certify that countries are taking ``concrete steps'' to address human trafficking.
In addition, I am deeply opposed to a new negotiating objective that was added in the 11th hour, which ensures that trade agreements do not create new obligations related to combating climate change or that would require changes in U.S. domestic laws. Trade agreements must not restrict our ability to tackle climate change in the 21st century.
This bill also adds restrictive language related to immigration to ensure that trade agreements do not require changes to U.S. immigration laws or the issuance of new visas.
Mr. Speaker, we have to strengthen TPA and its negotiating objectives--not weaken it. We must improve TPA before moving forward on any future trade agreement that will have wide-ranging consequences for America's working class. I strongly urge a ``no'' vote.
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