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Levin: Active Public Debate Needed on TPP Text

October 5, 2015

WASHINGTON, DC – Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Sander Levin (D-MI) spoke today with James Menendez on BBC World Service about the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade talks, which concluded today in Atlanta, Georgia. Rep. Levin, who attended the trade talks in Atlanta, has been outspoken on the need to get the trade agreement right for workers and the middle class.

Are you happy with TPP? Will you be voting for it?

"It's too early to tell. Indeed, I think that's the main story of today. This is, as you said, a very major agreement. And what we really need to do is look at it hard. We haven't had a major trade debate in this country for 20 years, since NAFTA. And I think this agreement requires that we have that kind of full and open discussion… And that, I think, will determine yes or no.

"I don't think the first question should be ‘will it pass'? I think the first question that has to be answered is ‘what will it mean in the daily lives of people'?"

But there are no means of changing the agreement, right?

"Not quite. Some of the discussions are not really within TPP formally itself. Some of them are bilateral agreements. For example, the US and Mexico are discussing the basic issue of the automotive sector and worker rights. And Mexico has built a major automotive industry. It will be exporting to the U.S., the estimate is, by the end of this year more cars than either Japan or Canada. And part of the reason Mexico has built its auto industry is because of its very low wages compared to the US, which have been kept down because workers are not allowed to really be represented in the basic international labor rights structure. That's being discussed between the governments, and in my judgement it has to change. And it should change before we vote. Also, on the issue of currency, those discussions are going on between the finance ministers, and that also needs to be resolved before we vote on TPP."

In general terms, is this going to be good or bad for jobs?

"Jobs are critical to this. That's why we need to have a debate on it. And also, there will be economic analyses that come forth, which will help us understand whether there will be a job increase or not. So you'll have to look at a lot of issues – like agricultural exports, but also imports into this country from other countries – and what it means for jobs."

On access to medicines

"We haven't seen the language yet. Years ago, we put together legislation that said there should be a five-year period of protection – if you want to call it that – and now we'll see what's in the language. We'll have to see what it means for medicine availability."

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