The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)
talks are stalling while the White House assures its trading partners that
this secret trade agreement won’t be amended when it comes back to Congress
for ratification after the President signs the deal. That’s why the Executive
is scrambling to get its allies in Congress to pass Fast Track. If they succeed,
the U.S. Trade Representative can block remaining opportunities for the
examination of the TPP’s provisions by lawmakers who
could ensure that this secret deal does not contain expansive copyright
rules that would lock the U.S. into
broken copyright rules that are already in bad need of reform.
The Fast Track bill
is likely going to be introduced as early as next week—so it’s time to speak
out now. Congress needs to hear from their constituents that we expect them
to hold the White House accountable for the TPP’s
restrictive digital policies. Unless this opaque, undemocratic process
is fixed, and state officials uphold the interests of users rather than trampling
our rights, we have no choice but to fight trade deals like the TPP.
You can get in touch
with your elected representatives and call on them to
oppose Fast Track trade authority for the TPP and other secretive,
anti-user trade deals. We have also created a new
tool for Twitter users to ask three key congressional leaders to come out
against Fast Track.
They are Sen. Ron Wyden, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, and Rep. Steny Hoyer. Here’s why we
are targeting these three Congress members in particular.
Target #1: Sen. Ron Wyden
Sen. Wyden is one of
the leading defenders of users’ rights and a staunch fighter for the free and
open Internet in Congress. For the past several years, he has been one of
the most outspoken lawmakers denouncing the secretive TPP
negotiations, and has consistently raised concerns about the agreement’s
threat to users. As Ranking Member of the Senate Finance Committee, where
the Senate bill will be introduced, he has a significant amount of influence
over the outcome of Fast Track. We need to call on him to continue to stand
with users and fight back against any version of this bill that does not
address critical problems in the trade negotiation process.
Target #2: Rep. Nancy Pelosi
House Minority
Leader, Nancy Pelosi, has proven to be an outspoken defender of the free and
open Internet this year, as she was one of the most vocal proponents to
defend net neutrality. However, she has unfortunately been wishy-washy on
Fast Track and the TPP. She needs to hear from users that
the TPP also puts the Internet at risk from oppressive regulations.
If she were to come out against Fast Track, that would be a strong signal for
other House Democrats to follow her lead.
Target #3: Rep. Steny Hoyer
His voting record
for digital rights has been pretty spotty, and so far Rep. Hoyer has been supportive
of Fast Track. But as House Minority Whip, his opposition to Fast Track
would also be hugely influential for Democrats in the House to come out
against it as well.
Let them know that
we’re counting on them to defend the Internet from the White House’s secret,
anti-user deals. Once you’re done tweeting at them (which you can of course do
more than once!), remember to share these actions through your social networks.
We can defeat this massive, anti-user trade deal, but we’re going to need all
the help we can get.
Related Posts
-
Filed Under: Tradehttp://agenda21news.com/2015/02/congress-is-poised-to-introduce-a-bill-to-fast-track-tpp-so-its-time-to-act-now/#more-4910
No comments:
Post a Comment