Washington, D.C. – Congressman Tom Emmer (MN-06) voted today in support of the Trade Act of 2015, also known as Trade Promotion Authority (TPA). Emmer has been a vocal supporter for TPA and was a lead on a freshman letter to President Obama supporting this legislation.

TPA contains 150 objectives mandated by Congress that the U.S. Trade Representative must adhere to during negotiations. It authorizes the President to enter into an agreement only after Congress –and the American people–have given their approval. This legislation requires that any deal must be public for, at the very minimum, 60 days before any vote is taken. Lastly, this legislation also allows Congress to withdraw TPA at any time during its six-year authorization, effectively stopping any bad agreement in its tracks.

“By passing TPA, we took an important step towards ensuring America’s future success as a nation, both domestically and globally,” said Emmer.  “Trade is a vital component of our country’s economy. Today, I voted for the nearly 757,000 Minnesotans and 38 million Americans who depend on foreign trade and investment to provide for their families. TPA, and American Trade, is good for Minnesota, and what is good for Minnesota is good for our country.”

“Like many of my constituents, I have been concerned about being kept in the dark by this Administration during trade negotiations. This is exactly why TPA is necessary –to provide the transparency and accountability that Americans deserve.” said Emmer. “With TPA, Congress and the American people will have the tools to hold the President accountable, while also opening up new markets for Minnesota’s goods and services.”

H.R. 1314 is a bipartisan piece of legislation that passed the House by a vote of 219-211. For text of the full bill, click here. To view Emmer’s op-eds and videos related to TPA, click here.