The talks became internationally controversial after an unedited draft of the intellectual property rights chapter of the TPP was published in November by WikiLeaks.

That was enough to raise concerns that the deal would launch a “race to the bottom” by creating a regulatory structure that allows international corporations to do an end-run around the laws of nations, rewarding the ones with the laxest labor, safety and environmental protections.

Sharing DeFazio’s concerns on Tuesday were panel members Tom Chamberlain, president of the Oregon AFL-CIO, Arthur Stamoulis of the Citizens Trade Campaign, Debra Higbee-Sudyka of the Sierra Club and Peter Stoel of the group Results.

DeFazio explained at a meeting earlier Tuesday at the Gazette-Times that before the TPP can be enacted, Congress has to reauthorize fast-track authority for Obama, which expired in 2007.

DeFazio is among those attempting to block that authorization, saying that if Obama has that authority, he would finish negotiating the TPP in secret and submit it to Congress, which would have 60 days to approve it on an up or down vote, with no amendments allowed.

This is just “a way to get bad trade deals through,” DeFazio said.