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NCBA lobbies for ‘fast track’ on trade agreements

capitol_domeThe National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) is calling on Congress to grant “fast track” Trade Promotion Authority to the Obama Administration.

“It’s very important that Congress take that up immediately and give our negotiators the legitimacy that they need to go and work those deals with those other countries—with the assurance that when they come back, that they’ll get a straight up or down vote from Congress, in a very short time,” says Kent Bacus, NCBA’s associate director of legislative affairs.

U.S. negotiators are reportedly close to finalizing the Trans-Pacific Partnership, an agreement to lower or eliminate most trade barriers among the U.S. and eleven other Pacific nations. A similar agreement with Europe is also in the works.

“The last thing we need is to have a big negotiation take place—have an agreement filled—and then come back and have 535 different opinions on it in Congress,” Bacus says. “We need this administration to consult with Congress in those negotiations, get a good deal, and then bring it back and get it passed so that we can start to see those massive tariffs in Asia and in Europe start to fall off.”

Opposition to the free trade agreements comes from several groups, especially labor unions. Opponents argue the agreements will cost American jobs, weaken food safety and financial regulations, and undermine environmental and labor standards.

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