Further, I believe Congress will not approve a new grant of fast track unless it has received full assurance that U.S. trade laws will not be on the table. If further weakening these laws is the price of new trade negotiations, most in Congress are likely to find that price too high. I also believe that it is time to develop a real and meaningful Trade Adjustment Assistance program. And that should happen before Congress approves another major trade agreement under fast track rules. Workers must know that they will not be left behind.
Trade negotiations are a long-term undertaking.
Trade agreements are likely to be around for a very long time much longer than any particular administration. If mistakes are made in negotiations and they often are those mistakes are very difficult to correct. That's exactly why trade negotiations must proceed from bipartisan consensus . Those who argue for trying to ram through an agreement or negotiating authority with a narrow, transient congressional majority have lost sight of the big picture. As have those who suggest packaging fast track and the Jordan agreement.