Last week, the U.S. Senate voted 62-37 in favor of final passage of H.R. 1314, the legislative vehicle for Trade Promotion Authority (TPA). 

The bill now heads to the U.S. House of Representatives where we expect a vote during the week of June 1. Passage of TPA in both houses will allow our trade negotiators to continue working to finalize the strongest deal possible in the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

U.S. economic growth and job creation depends on our ability to sell American goods and services to the 95% of the world's customers living outside our borders. Yet there are restrictions and tariffs, often in the double digits, that create an uneven playing field for U.S. beef in the global marketplace. We can level the playing field, and the first step lies with Congress.  Trade Promotion Authority is crucial to concluding trade agreements such as TPP that will level the playing field and open foreign markets to more U.S. beef products.

Action Item: Please contact your Congressman or Congresswoman and urge them to support passage of TPA. The vote is expected to be very close in the House due to strong opposition from protectionist groups on the left and Tea Party activists on the right who do not want to give President Obama a victory. Some of the conservative talk radio hosts (Limbaugh and Levin) are fiercely opposing passage of TPA for similar reasons. TPA will not pass the House unless we fully engage. 

Please feel free to contact the IBCA office with any questions.