The Senate Finance and the House Ways and Means Committees met separately on Thursday to discuss the free trade agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea.
Chris Garza, a trade specialist with the American Farm Bureau Federation, explained the moves in Congress.
The negotiations weren’t all smooth sailing. Ways and Means Democrats objected to the lack of Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) while Senate Finance Republicans objected to the inclusion of it in the Korea bill.
So what is TAA and why is it important here?
In the end, Senate Finance turned back Republican amendments to extend Presidential fast track authority for two and four years and to destroy TAA in the Korea FTA. Majority Republicans in the House Ways and Means turned back a Democrat amendment to include worker assistance.
Source: NAFB News Service
Posted by Haylie Shipp
