NCL statement in support of House vote against fast track – National Consumers League
June 12, 2015
Contact: Carol McKay, NCL Communications, (412) 945-3242, carolm@nclnet.org
Washington, DC—The National Consumers League lauds the House of Representatives vote to reject the “fast track” measure to negotiate the Trans Pacific Partnership. In a 302-126 vote against the bill, the House levied a blow to President Obama’s efforts, which advocates feared would ultimately result in American job losses.
The following statement can be attributed to NCL Executive Director Sally Greenberg.
We applaud the House of Representatives for the overwhelming vote against the “TPP” and giving the President fast track authority. NCL believes the Trans-Pacific Partnership is bad for both workers and consumers. It would undermine U.S. laws and regulations for the benefit of corporations, and it would undermine jobs here at home as well. Under the TPP, according to the Economic Policy Institute, the U.S. would ship more than 130,000 jobs abroad to Vietnam and Japan alone, forcing American workers to compete for jobs with those overseas, such as Vietnamese workers who make less than 60 cents an hour. We urged Congress to reject fast track because of the harm it would bring to American workers, trading away our system of consumer and worker protections for increased profits for corporate interests.
The House vote reflects the public’s concerns about fast track and these trade deals, and we are very pleased that the House took a decisive vote against this bad trade deal.
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About the National Consumers League
The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.
