IRS Bureaucracy Reduction and Judicial Review Act

Floor Speech

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Mr. EMMER of Minnesota. Mr. Speaker, I rise in full support of the legislation that I am holding in my hand right now, the trade promotion authority bill.

Tomorrow, the House will be voting on the passage of TPA, which is a vital step in ensuring America's future success as a nation. Whenever I get asked why--Why is it important? Why is American trade important?--I say it is not just important to Minnesota, it is important to the entire country, but I will use my State as the starter.

The State of Minnesota is still home to 18 Fortune 500 companies, and the two main drivers of our private economy--our success--are agriculture and manufacturing.

American trade is important. It is important to ensure that our superior workforce, our quality companies and products, have full and fair access to other markets around the world.

Let me be clear, TPA is not a trade deal in itself; rather, TPA is legislation that authorizes the President to enter into an agreement only after Congress and the American people have given their approval.

It contains 150 objectives that Congress mandates the U.S. Trade Representative must adhere to during negotiations. It has a provision that allows the House to withdraw TPA at any time during its 6-year
authorization, effectively stopping any bad agreement in its tracks. It requires that any deal must be public for a minimum of 60 days before any vote or considerations taken by Congress.

I want to thank Chairmen Ryan and Tiberi for their work on this important legislation. It is time for America to lead again, which is why I urge my colleagues to support the passage of trade promotion authority.

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