Trade

Floor Speech

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Mr. McCONNELL. Madam President, when it comes to keeping the American people safe, there are many things Congress can do. Encouraging reform at the TSA is one important step, but so is leading on trade.

President Obama's own Secretary of Defense recently said that the trade legislation before us was as important to him ``as another aircraft carrier.'' This is the Secretary of Defense of the United States who said that the trade legislation before us was as important to him as another aircraft carrier. But he cautioned that ``time's running out [to] cement our influence and leadership in the fastest-growing region in the world.''

We all know how critical this legislation is for lifting up American workers, American wages, and the American economy as well. We shouldn't let this opportunity for a significant bipartisan achievement slip past us. If we can continue working together in a spirit of trust and if we simply vote the same way we did a couple of weeks ago, we won't miss this opportunity.

I know how important it is--particularly for my friends on the other side of the aisle--to get both TPA and TAA, trade adjustment assistance. That linkage has been acknowledged from the beginning of this process. It is why I set in motion a process last week--filing cloture on the vehicles for both TPA and TAA so that we get one done followed immediately by the other--that will put both pieces of legislation on the President's desk before the July 4 State work period.

I don't want anyone to think we are getting TPA done this week, with a promise to get TAA done at some other time. The process this week is very clear: We will vote on TPA and then we will vote on TAA. So this is how that will look. Tomorrow, we will begin the process of approving TPA. The next day, we will begin the process of approving TAA, along with the AGOA and preferences measure.

Before the week is out, I intend to go to conference on the Customs bill. This is a bill with broad bipartisan support. Members on both sides want to get it done, and we are going to formally begin the process to complete our work on the Customs bill. So I am committed to concluding work on that conference as quickly as possible. I am sure Members on both sides will hold us to that commitment.

So what does all this mean? It means that with continued bipartisan cooperation, we can ensure that TPA, TAA, and AGOA reach the President's desk this week, and it means we can ensure that the Customs bill is placed on a path to swift approval, too. It was always the goal to ensure that these bills passed Congress in the end. It remains the bipartisan goal today. We are now on the verge of achieving it. With just a little more trust, a little more cooperation, and simply voting consistently, we will get there.

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