Congressman Tim Huelskamp (KS-01) issued the following statement following the vote in favor of Trade Promotion Authority (TPA):

“Trade is critical to our state’s economy, particularly for Kansas agriculture and manufacturing. And nearly every day, I see and hear of brilliant examples of Kansas products being sold across the globe.

“But we can do better for Kansas. For far too long, our producers have been stymied by foreign governments and Washington politics. Whether it is a 252% Japanese tariff on wheat, expensive tariffs targeting American beef and pork, a regulatory maze to sell pork into Vietnam, non-scientific trade restrictions and artificial quotas in multiple countries, or a Washington system and Administration that hasn’t broke down these barriers, it is time for Congress to fight for our producers.

“The bipartisan vote in favor of TPA showed strong support for breaking down these job-killing trade barriers while imposing strong Congressional oversight and clear Constitutional mandates upon the Obama Administration. Under TPA, Congress outlines 150 requirements that must be met for Congress to consider any trade agreement, including lower tariffs, protection of property rights, defense of religious liberties, and unprecedented transparency. By putting these guard rails into place, Congress can ensure any trade agreement protects American interests – and if Obama submits one that doesn’t, Congress can and will reject it.

“I am confident that, given a free and open marketplace, Kansans can meet and beat our competitors around the world. Ninety-five percent of our potential customers live outside America – and, with TPA, we can move forward to a time when Kansans are no longer shackled by foreign governments and Washington politics.”