'Simple solution' to Obamatrade's problems

Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio

WASHINGTON – U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, speaks with the conviction and enthusiasm of a man who believes he has found a solution to one of Washington's thorniest current problems: whether to give President Obama authority to cut a far-ranging trade deal with little congressional control.

And that relatively simple solution is in a time-tested American tradition: If something goes wrong, put it to a vote.

He explained to WND why he believes the solution to the deal's many questions lies in an amendment being drafted by Reps. Rick Mulvaney, R-S.C., and Mark Meadows, R-N.C.

The amendment would let the entire House, not just the 37 members of the House Ways and Means committee, vote on any changes to the bill that would give the president the fast-track authority to make the trade deal.

Jordan portrayed the amendment as a restoring of the constitutional checks and balances to the trade agreement process, telling WND, "If it (a proposed change) comes to a vote on the full floor, is it really that big of a deal? If something really egregious arises, this gives us a chance to turn it off."

The Trans-Pacific Partnership, or TPP, a monumental trade deal between the U.S. and Pacific Rim nations, appears to have something to dislike for everyone across the political spectrum.

Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., is concerned it will turn over important congressional powers to a new international body, create an economic union akin to a "nascent European Union," and prevent lawmakers from removing any objectionable provisions. He is also alarmed that the deal could be used to accelerate the immigration of foreign workers at a time when Americans are hurting for jobs.

Unions such as the powerful AFL-CIO are also concerned it will hurt the American job market and depress wages.

Environmentalists fear the deal will lead to lax protections.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., says the deal will benefit large corporations and banks.

She and Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., also criticize the secrecy of the details in the deal.

That puts those ultra-liberals on the same side as die-hard conservative Rush Limbaugh, who said having Congress vote on a bill the American people can't even read should be enough to oppose it.

And presidential candidate Mike Huckabee told WND on Monday, "President Obama can’t be trusted to negotiate a deal on a secondhand Subaru, let alone a trillion-dollar trade deal like TPP."

Jordan has his own problems with the bill, one being what he calls "a several billion dollar social-welfare giveaway program" that would give money to workers who lose their jobs, ostensibly because of free trade.

"If you believe in trade, then you don't need a social welfare system saying that the jobs are going to be lost. We believe trade creates jobs. If you believe that, why do you have a social welfare giveaway as part of the deal?"

But even with this all opposition from left to right, the Trade Promotion Authority, or TPA, bill, which would give Obama fast-track authority to negotiate and sign far-reaching trade deals, was approved by the Senate last month. If it passes in the House, Capitol Hill observers say the TPP is also sure to be approved by Congress.

Jordan wants to slow down the fast-track by making sure Congress has the opportunity to address all of the concerns above.

He told WND that can be done with an amendment to the TPA that would give the entire House the ability to vote on changes made during negotiations on the TPP.

An aide to Jordan described the amendment to WND as a way to give the full House more input throughout the TPA negotiating process, as opposed to concentrating it in committee at the end of the process.

Many of Jordan's fellow conservatives are concerned that giving the additional power of fast-track authority to Obama is playing with fire, given his particular history of ignoring the will of Congress by issuing executive orders.

The congressman told WND, "There's always that concern," but he said the amendment would address not just that potential problem, but all other concerns, as well.

"The amendment we are talking about, I think, keeps everything in check. It says, if the administration starts deviating and getting too far away from the goals, objectives and guidelines written in the trade promotion authority agreement, then we can keep them in check."

With additional emphasis, as though addressing a civics class, he stressed, "That's exactly how government is supposed to work."

"And, for this president, I think there's all the more reason, and that's why this amendment makes so much sense. Because, if he does do something egregious on immigration, the currency, or environmental policy that we think is not appropriate, then you have that check."

Jordan stressed he understands the importance of trade and what it means for businesses in his Ohio district as well as across the country.

He wants a trade deal.

"But you want to do it right," Jordan said. "We are concerned when this president talks about the most progressive trade deal in history, what the focus may be."

He said he is part of a "group of conservatives who are asking for three things that we think make sense before we vote for it."

Give all lawmakers more power to reject future trade deals. "Give every member of Congress the same rights that currently exist in the TPA bill for members of the House Ways and Means Committee. Treat members as the same. The amendment Mulvaney and Meadows are working on would do that."

Remove aid for workers supposedly displaced by free trade. "Why are billions of dollars for a social-welfare program part of trade deal?"

Let authorization for the Export-Import Bank expire at the end of the month. "We think the TPA bill is now linked, in an indirect way, to the Export-Import Bank. If we're going to stop this huge corporate welfare program, we've got to make sure the bill doesn't get to the floor."

One particularly crucial problem Jordan sees with the TPA is that it has 150 guidelines the administration is supposed to follow without oversight by Congress.

What if, he suggested, the administration is "negotiating this trade deal with all these countries and not following what Congress voted on when they gave it this authority?"

Jordan explained, "We think we should say, 'Time out. Let's put a hold on this.'"

"Right now," he continued, "that opportunity only exists for the Ways and Means Committee. Our position is, once we all vote on it on the House floor and give him trade promotion authority, why should only 37 members of the House Ways and Means committee have the ability to slow it down and turn it off? Why can't we all have that same right?"

Jordan hypothesized, what if only 76 of the 150 guidelines were being met?

"Well, maybe we need to have a discussion, a little broader discussion about that."

And when it comes to his distaste for the Export-Import bank, Jordan has left little doubt about his belief that it is the antithesis of a free-trade arrangement.

He wrote an op-ed for National Review last month with the to-the-point headline of, "The Ex-Im Bank Is a Waste of Money," with the main grievance being, "It funnels regular Americans’ taxes to big businesses that are already wealthy."

He called it "a slush fund for politically connected businesses," noting, "The biggest beneficiary is Boeing, hardly a mom-and-pop shop."

Jordan also said only about 2 percent of all small business exporters received Ex-Im funds, making such programs, "exactly what the American people hate about Washington. They let government bureaucrats pick winners and losers, doling out taxpayer-funded handouts to well-connected corporations."

The congressman told WND, "Everyone knows when Ex-Im goes to the floor of the House or Senate, they're supposed to pass it. If we're going to stop this huge corporate welfare program, we've got to make sure the bill doesn't get to the floor.

"We'll vote for trade if you'll tell us you're never going to bring Ex-Im to the floor of the House. So, we'll see."

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