PA-Sen: Casey Votes Against TPP “Fast Track”

Written by Nick Field, Managing Editor

Senator Casey finds himself to the left of President Obama.

Pennsylvania’s senior Senator voted against a measure last night to proceed with the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).

President Obama has been on a media tour advocating for action on the agreement despite the protests of the Democratic Party’s progressive wing, led by Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren.

The vote occurred in the Senate Finance Committee and the measure passed by a 20-6 margin. Among the Senators supporting TPP was Pennsylvania’s junior Senator Pat Toomey.

“The bill voted out of committee this evening puts our nation on a fast track to fewer jobs and lower wages,” Sen. Casey said in a statement after the vote. “This Trade Promotion Authority legislation is flawed and is set to leave Pennsylvania with the short end of the stick once again.”

“Instead of focusing on boosting wages for the middle class, Congress is speeding toward another NAFTA-style deal,” he concluded. “We’ve been told that previous trade deals would bring jobs and growth, only to find out that the benefits had been vastly oversold and the consequences had been severely underestimated. When it comes to debating economic policies we should consider whether they will grow middle class wages, create new jobs and bolster our manufacturing sector. Trade Promotion Authority legislation does none of these things.”

April 23rd, 2015 | Posted in Front Page Stories, Senate, Top Stories | 11 Comments