Fast Track
OUR POSITION: CSS opposes Fast Track and urges members of Congress to vote against it.
Fast Track is a procedure used to circumvent public debate and congressional oversight of trade agreements. It may only be used if Congress votes to give the executive branch the authority.
Under the U.S. Constitution, Congress is supposed to set trade policy. Fast Track allows the executive branch control Congress’ voting schedule. Both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate are required to vote on a fast tracked trade agreement within 90 days of the White House submitting it. No floor amendments are allowed and debate is limited.
Throughout U.S. history, hundreds of trade agreements have been reached without resorting to this extraordinary procedure. Conceived by President Nixon, Fast Track has only been used 16 times in the history of our nation, often to enact the most controversial of trade pacts, such as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the World Trade Organization (WTO). President Clinton, renowned for trade expansion, had this authority for two of his eight years in office due to congressional opposition. The last time Congress authorized Fast Track was in 2002. Since 2007, Congress has refused to authorize this extreme procedure, even after its proponents tried to rename it “Trade Promotion Authority.”
As a candidate, President Obama said he would replace this anti-democratic process. But now he is asking Congress to grant him Fast Track authority – in part to overcome growing public and congressional opposition to his controversial trade proposals. Congress must not allow the executive branch to circumvent the democratic process.
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Take Action
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Tell your representative to VOTE NO on Fast Track authority.
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CSS Resources
Over 2,000 Groups Urge Opposition to Fast Track
Letter to Members: April 27, 2015
Groups Oppose Fast Track Process at the Heart of Sen. Hatch’s Trade Bill
Letter to Members: April 20, 2015
Hatch Bill Would Revive Controversial 2002 Fast Track Mechanism That Faces Broad Congressional, Public Opposition
Press Release: April 16, 2015
Fast Track Trade Authority Must Be Replaced to Deliver Trade Agreement that Can Deliver Broad Benefits
Letter to Members: March 23, 2015
Transparency Groups Write to Members of Congress, Urging Public Access to Draft Trade Pacts Texts
Letter to Members: March 23, 2015
Labor Movement Shows United Opposition to ‘Fast Tracking’ Trade Deals
Letter to Members: March 2, 2015
The Interfaith Working Group on Trade and Investment Asks Congress to Oppose Fast Track
Letter to Members: February 18, 2015
Members of Congress and Civil Society Show Breadth of Opposition to Fast Track
Press Conference: January 8, 2015
Nearly 600 Organizations Write to Sen. Wyden Opposing Fast Track
Letter to Members: September 10, 2014
Citizens Trade Campaign: Over 550 Groups Urge Opposition to Fast Track
Letter to Members: January 27, 2014
Public Health Groups Write Congress in Opposition to Fast Track
Letter to Members: January 9, 2014
Resources from Partners and Affiliates
Progressive Organizations Call on USTR Froman to Disclose Communications with Largest Financial Institutions
Public Citizen: May 2015
Hundreds of Tech Companies to Congress: TPP and Fast Track Harms Digital Innovation and Users’ Rights
Public Citizen: May 2015
State Legislators from Across Nation Sign Letter Urging Congress to Reject Fast Track Trade Promotion Authority
Public Citizen: May 2015
WTO Orders U.S. to Gut U.S. Consumer Country-of-Origin Meat Labeling Policy, Further Complicating Obama Fast Track Push by Spotlighting How Trade Pacts Can Undermine U.S. Consumer, Environmental Policies
Public Citizen: May 2015
The Trans Pacific Partnership, Fast Track and Financial Regulation
Americans for Financial Reform: April 2015
Myth v. Fact on the 2015 Hatch-Ryan Fast Track Bill
Public Citizen: April 2015
Hatch Bill Would Revive Controversial 2002 Fast Track Mechanism that Faces Broad Congressional, Public Opposition
Public Citizen: April 2015
Investor-State Attacks: Empowering Foreign Corporations to Bypass our Courts, Challenge Basic Protections
Public Citizen: April 2015
President’s Annual March 1 Trade Report and Agenda
Public Citizen: February 2015
Analysis of 2014 Annual Trade Data
Public Citizen: February 2015
Prosperity Undermined: Fast-Tracked Trade Agreements’ 20-Year Record of Massive U.S. Trade Deficits, American Job Loss and Wage Suppression
Public Citizen: January 2015
10 Reasons Why America Cannot Fast Track
Public Citizen: January 2015
Replacing Fast Track: a Path to Middle Class Prosperity, Security & a Healthy Environment
Public Citizen: January 2015
There is No Acceptable ‘Version’ of Fast Track
Public Citizen: January 2015
Prosperity Undermined During Era of Fast Tracked NAFTA and WTO Modeled Trade Agreements
Public Citizen: December 2014
What the 2014 Election Results Mean for Trade Policy
Public Citizen: November 2014
Replacing Fast Track: America Needs a New Trade Authority Mechanism
Public Citizen: February 2014
Studies Reveal Consensus: Trade Flows during “Free Trade” Era Have Exacerbated U.S. Income Inequality
Public Citizen: January 2014
Press Coverage
Wikileaks Drops Another Damning Trove of Secret Trade Deal Documents
The Huffington Post: June 3, 2015
Progressive Groups Call on Obama Trade Official to Disclose Communications with Wall Street Banks
The Huffington Post: May 28, 2015
Stop Fast-Track Trade Agreement Bill in Its Tracks
Chicago Tribune: May 17, 2015
Why Obama Is Wrong and Warren Is Right on Trade Bill Quarrel
Bloomberg: May 15, 2015
Human Welfare Over Profits: A Call to Stop the TPP Fast Track (Again!)
The Huffington Post: May 13, 2015
Trade Vote Set for Defeat, Dealing Tough Blow to Obama
The Hill: May 12, 2015
Could Fast-Track Ultimately Destroy Dodd-Frank? (Yes.)
The Nation: May 12, 2015
Elizabeth Warren Fires Back at Obama: Here’s What They’re Really Fighting About
The Washington Post: May 11, 2015
Elizabeth Warren Says Dodd-Frank Will Be Casualty of Fast-Track Trade Bill
Bloomberg: May 5, 2015
Fast-Tracking Free Trade is Good for Profits, Not People
Al Jazeera: May 1, 2015
Why President Obama Is Wrong on Trade
Huffington Post: April 26, 2015
Don’t Let TPP Gut State Laws
Politico: April 19, 2015
Obama’s Free Trade Deal Lets Corporations Impose Their Will
Think Progress: April 16, 2015
‘Fast Track’ Trade Authority Is a Mistake for Most Businesses
The Hill: April 15, 2015
Labor Unions Ramp Up Opposition to Obama Trade Agenda
The Hill: April 13, 2015
Trans-Pacific Partnership Treaty will Help Neither Workers Nor Consumers
The Washington Post: March 31, 2015
The President Wants to ‘Fast Track’ Two Massive Trade Deals. Congress Should Slow Him Down
The Los Angeles Times: March 26, 2015
Coalition Opposes Presidential ‘Fast Track’ to Trade Deal
Food Safety News: January 9, 2015
Democrats Step Up Efforts to Block Obama’s Trade Agenda
The New York Times: January 8, 2015