Trade Promotion Authority

Floor Speech

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Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, the road to yesterday's win for the middle class on TPA was never going to be an easy one. It was hardly a quick one.

We always knew that was going to be the case, but I thought we owed it to the working men and women of our country to push ahead anyway. So we did. Through every bump and twist along the way, Republicans and Democrats held together.

In achieving something that can open more opportunities for working families, we proved the growing power of good ideas in the new Republican Congress. In passing legislation that can facilitate the lowering of barriers and the lifting up of our workers in the 21st century, we proved that this is a new Congress that is back to work on behalf of the American people.

Passing trade wasn't the first bipartisan achievement of this new Congress, and it won't be the last, but it is significant. It opens the door for more wins for the middle class as trade negotiators move forward under this President and, importantly, under the next President as well.

I thank everyone who worked with us to get here on both sides of the aisle. It is thanks to continued cooperation and no end of determination that we were able to achieve another important accomplishment for our country.

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