fasttrack info fr Sanders

From April 12, 2015, "Stop TPP" national activist meeting with guest, Senator ‪#‎BernieSanders‬:
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Q: How long will Congress "study" TPP, before it comes up for a vote?

A: So here is what we expect...and have been told--frankly--by [Sen. Ron] Wyden's office. We'll have to read through it and make sure that it is [actually] correct, but...

The way it works is 90 days before the President wants to sign, the President will notify Congress: 'I intend to sign this agreement, within 90 days. Here's the draft.'

Now, at that point, Congress can review it, but it's still not quite final, so it's not going to be released to the public. The International Trade Commission will start reviewing it, at that point, and then have to come up with a 'study of predicted effects.'

Now, folks should know, the 'study of predicted effects' does NOT address environmental safety, food safety, workers' health and safety--you know, all the things that we would want to address--it doesn't address.

What it does address is, basically, 'trade and goods.' 'Will we export more wheat?...Will we import more cars?...[etc.]'

That's what that is looking at...and it will make some job predictions--which NOTORIOUSLY have been WRONG...because the model is so basic and it doesn't look at all these other things. Like, foreign investments, you know...pay rates...and all kinds of things.

So, they'll overpredict and they'll say it's 'great.'

Then, the President, at some point after the first 90 days, will then set up an implementing bill that will make TPP law.

At that point, that becomes public, but the House has 60 days to move on that. They can't amend the bill in any way...they can't bottle up the committee, they can't bottle it up in the rules committee--they can only debate it on the floor for 20 hours--which seems long--except for the fact it's a 1,000 to 2,000 page agreement and they can't amend it.

So 20 hours isn't...like, who cares? You are debating over something you can't fix.

They have to vote on it. Then, it gets sent to the Senate. Then, the Senate only has 30 days. Very similar: No amendments in committee. No bottling it up in committee. Has to move to floor. Can't be filibustered. Maximum time of debate. No amendments.

So the total time from introduction to passage or rejection is 90 days.

And you should note, which of course Congress could *theoretically* vote no--[but] NO CONGRESS HAS EVER REJECTED A TRADE AGREEMENT THAT HAS COME UNDER FAST TRACK PROCEDURE.

That's why Fast Track--that's why it is so important--WE'VE GOT TO KILL FAST TRACK, IF WE ARE GOING TO HAVE ANY LEVERAGE OVER THE CONTENT OF THE TPP OR ANY CHANCE TO DEFEAT IT!
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Listen to the April 12, 2015 "Stop TPP" national activist meeting with guest, Senator Bernie Sanders: https://www.freeconferencecallhd.com/playback/?n=HcbOU%2Fjh7E8
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