Senate Democrat urges more transparency on trade deals

A top Senate Democrat is urging passage of legislation that would require U.S. trade officials to share information with Congress during trade agreement negotiations. 

Sen. Ron Wyden (Ore.) said he had to introduce legislation clarifying that the U.S. Trade Representative must consult with lawmakers during trade talks because of the Obama administration’s refusal to provide information on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) with Congress and key staff members.  

"The majority of Congress is being kept in the dark as to the substance of the TPP negotiations, while representatives of U.S. corporations, like Halliburton, Chevron, PHRMA, Comcast and the Motion Picture Association of America, are being consulted and made privy to details of the agreement," Wyden said. 

The chairman of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on International Trade, Customs, and Global Competitiveness said the administration has been refusing congressional requests for information pertaining to the TPP negotiations, including his own request for access for more than two months for a member of his trade committee staff who has the required security clearance. 

Wyden contends that a 1992 law forming the Congressional Oversight Group (COG) providing for more consultation with Congress is being misinterpreted by the Obama administration to mean that only the few members who belong to the COG can be given access to trade negotiation information, while other lawmakers and their staffs, must be denied such access. 

"I strongly disagree with such an interpretation and find it offensive that some would suggest that a law meant to foster more consultation with Congress is intended to limit it," he said.  

"But given that the TPP negotiations are currently under way and I, and the vast majority of my colleagues and their staff, continue to be denied a full understanding of what the USTR is seeking in the agreement, we do not have time to waste on a protracted legal battle over this issue."

The measure would give all lawmakers and their staffs "appropriate clearance access to the substance of trade negotiations," while those responsible for conducting oversight over the enforcement of trade agreements will be provided information on whether U.S. trading partners are living up to their trade obligations. 

"Put simply, this legislation would ensure that the representatives elected by the American people are afforded the same level of influence over our nation's policies" as corporations, Wyden said. 

The availability of details about the ongoing negotiations has been a regular complaint of some lawmakers and trade groups such as Public Citizen's Global Trade Watch. The group has complained that the results of the trade talks, which recently wrapped up their 12th round in Dallas, have been shrouded in secrecy and that a draft document should be released so the public can provide more input. 

Meanwhile, trade officials testifying on Capitol Hill have tried to assure lawmakers that the USTR is available to brief staff on the specifics of agreement. 

U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk recently defended the administration's actions, saying his office has been as transparent as possible with stakeholders while acknowledging that some details need to remain secret to keep talks moving toward a resolution. 

The nine nations — the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Peru, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei — are aiming to complete work on the agreement this year.