House Passes Hatch Trade Bill
WASHINGTON – Congress took another step towards passing Trade Promotion Authority today as members of the House of Representatives passed it on a vote of 218-208, sending the measure back to the Senate. The bill, a product of negotiations led by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), has become one of President Obama’s top priorities and has significant bipartisan support despite lingering concerns by some Democrats.
Trade supports more than 374,000 jobs in Utah, and there are currently 204 countries and territories that buy Utah-made goods and services, according to the Business Roundtable.
“It’s clear that a bipartisan majority in Congress support renewing TPA and reasserting Congress’s role in trade,” said Sen. Hatch. "With this hurdle crossed, it’s time for the Senate to act once again. I appreciate the strong support many of my Senate Democratic colleagues have provided in helping us advance this important bill. I remain committed to working with all of my colleagues in our chamber to get this bill, along with the other pending trade bills, across the finish line and signed into law. It’s time to reassert America’s leadership on trade. This is the right policy at the right time and we cannot afford further delay.”
