Statement by U.S. Conference of Mayors President Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson on Passage of Trade Promotion Authority in the U.S. Senate

WASHINGTON, May 22, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- U.S. Conference of Mayors President Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson issued the following statement today after passage of Trade Promotion Authority (TPA 2015) legislation in the U.S. Senate:

"The U.S. Conference of Mayors applauds bi-partisan passage today of Trade Promotion Authority (TPA 2015) in the United States Senate.  In our annual meeting in Dallas, TX last year, the Conference adopted strong policy in support of TPA and called on the Administration to pursue 21^st Century trade agreements in the Pacific Rim and the Trans Atlantic.

"As we indicated in our letter of support for TPA at the beginning of the Senate's debate, we believe inclusion of enforceable labor and environmental standards, transparency, uniform tariffs, protection of intellectual property rights, and other objectives will result in increased global trade that promotes fairness throughout the global trading system and, therefore, increased U.S. competitiveness.

"TPA makes possible fair, enforceable, high standard trade agreements that create jobs, increase exports and help our local economies compete in an ever changing global economy.  Through TPA 2015, American workers will benefit by having access to the world's rising consumers who want to buy American-made products for their quality and innovation. 

"We now call on the House to pass TPA 2015, so that America can continue as a global economic leader."

The U.S. Conference of Mayors is the official nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more. There are nearly 1400 such cities in the country today, and each city is represented in the Conference by its chief elected official, the mayor. Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/usmayors, or follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/usmayors.

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SOURCE The U.S. Conference of Mayors