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Grassley: Convincing Congress on TPP won’t be easy

Supporters of the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement are hopeful that this week’s TPP negotiations in Atlanta will result in a final agreement.

If and when the agreement is finalized, it will still have to be approved by Congress—and Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says that’s not going to be easy. He says the Obama administration will have to convince skeptical lawmakers that it’s a good deal for the U.S.

“The administration must convince Congress–better than they did with the recent Iran deal–or their signature economic achievement will have no chance of getting through Congress,” Grassley says.

Even if the agreement is finalized this week, Grassley predicts it will be several months before it reaches Congress.

“It could be Spring—probably not before Spring—that Congress could feasibly consider TPP,” he says.

Grassley says the agreement will have to go through economic analysis and several other administrative steps before it can be considered by Congress.

AUDIO: Excerpt from Senator Grassley’s weekly conference call with ag media