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Congress pushes for Fast Track authority in aftermath of attacks

By TIRN organizer Kristi Disney

In a desperate attempt to give President Bush Fast Track trading authority, now called Trade Promotional Authority, Ways and Means Committee Chairman Thomas, Senator Levin and others are selling it as a necessity for fighting terrorism and stimulating a slumping economy.

Fast Track would give the president authority to negotiate our trade agreements for the next five to ten years, preventing Congress from amending or thoroughly debating any trade agreement negotiated by the president. The purpose for Fast Track is to speed up the process of negotiating and implementing trade agreements such as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the expansion of the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Many Pro-Fast Track Democrats and some Republicans agree that this is not the time to take up such a controversial issue as Fast Track. Even members of the corporate coalition U.S. Trade are against putting Fast Track in their immediate plans to stimulate the economy. We will, however, see a major push for Fast Track in the upcoming weeks in the context that it is vital to foreign policy.

  Tom Epperson, Cassandra Teague-Walker, Lee Cunningham, Rosemary Lewis, Bobby Stockard, Frances Utley, James Utley, Barbara Mayberry and Richard Mayberry

Bobby Stockard, board chairperson, demands more-democratic trade negotiations at TIRN's "Derail Fast Track" motorcade in Knoxville on Aug. 18.

photo by Al Levinson

An actual letter from the members to the left of the photo... Please read and enjoy!