Rokita Report - Trade, Safer Cars & More

Statement

Dear Friend,

Thank you for the opportunity to update you on the work of the 114th Congress. I trust this finds you and your family well, as we work together to bring Hoosier common sense to Washington.

Truth About Trade Legislation

I appreciate all of the feedback I have received on trade legislation that Congress is currently considering. Trade is an important issue for Hoosiers, and helps us grow our economy. Here are some facts about how and why trade benefits Indiana:

One in five Hoosier jobs are tied to trade.

One in three acres on American farms are planted for exports.

The United States has a trade surplus with our 20 Free Trade Agreement (FTA) partners, but a trade deficit with the countries we do not have trade agreements with.

Since 2000, there have been 48 trade agreements in Asia - The U.S. has been a part of only 2 of them.

America's 20 FTA partners represent just 10% of global GDP but buy nearly half of all U.S. exports.

I also want to be clear that the House is not considering the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) or any new trade treaty. The TPP has been in negotiation since 2007, beginning under President Bush, and would open up new markets to U.S. goods and services, boosting our national economy. These negotiations are sensitive. Countries participating in TPP negotiations must have trust and confidence in the process, which again, is still ongoing. While we are not considering TPP, we are actively considering Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) which subjects TPP negotiations to greater transparency.

TPA is anything but a "fast track" to new trade agreements. In fact, I'd prefer to call it "slow track." TPA requires negotiated trade proposals to be available to the public for 60 days. At the end of 60 days, Congress must then vote on the proposed agreement before it can be implemented.

In no way does TPA grant the President unilateral authority to write and implement new trade agreements. The process of developing agreements requires negotiators for each respective party. In the private sector, these negotiators are typically CEOs. For the U.S. government, dating back to the 1930s, our negotiator is the President. In the private sector, CEOs must report to the Board, who provides negotiation guidance and directives. For the U.S. government, the Congress acts as the Board by providing the President guidance and directives.

There are over 100 negotiation directives TPA places on the President as he continues trade negotiations. If the President doesn't meet these directives, Congress can overrule the President. You can read these directives, and the entire text of the TPA legislation here.

If you want to restrain the President's authority in trade negotiations and inject transparency into the process, including a mandatory 60 day public review period, then TPA is the way to do so. As Governor Mike Pence said "for Hoosiers who are working every day in the agriculture and manufacturing sectors to produce goods that will be sent to the far corners of the world, TPA is vitally important."

Bill for Safer Cars

This week, I introduced a common-sense bill with Representative Earl Blumenauer from Oregon, that will arm new car buyers with potentially life-saving information. The Safety Through Informed Consumers (STICRS) Act would require the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to integrate active safety technology into its 5-star crash-worthiness rating system.

New safety technologies such as lane departure warning, forward collision warning, blind spot detection, and assisted breaking can save lives by preventing accidents altogether. The STICRS Act integrates these technologies for consideration in the star safety system. By promoting this kind of innovation, we can empower consumers and most importantly protect lives.

In a free market, informed consumers are one of the greatest drivers of advancement, and I believe it is important that consumers are aware of this available vehicle safety. A Senate companion bill was also introduced this week by Senators Dean Heller of Nevada and Ed Markey of Massachusetts.

Flag Day Message

On June 14, 1777, the Second Continental Congress adopted a flag for our country. Our first flag had thirteen stars and stripes. As our union has grown, we have added stars. In August of 1949, Congress codified June 14th as Flag Day, which is a day of national observation.

Our flag is unique among those of the world. With the thirteen stripes, we celebrate our history and the thirteen colonies that persevered through the Revolutionary War. Today, with fifty stars, we also celebrate all of the states within our Republic and the unique stories of how they came to join our union.

As a country, we cherish and celebrate flags with history. Iconic photographs of our soldiers raising the flag on Iwo Jima and of firefighters raising the flag at Ground Zero after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 provided our nation with comfort and certainty.

Last month, I participated in the Arsenals of Democracy WWII Flyover that celebrated Victory in Europe (VE) Day. On the 70th Anniversary of the Allied victory over Nazi Germany, I flew over Washington, D.C. in a TBM Avenger flown by my colleague Representative Sam Graves. Roaring down the National Mall in a plane that helped win the war was an awesome experience. I took a flag along for the flight and that flag is now being displayed at my Danville District office.

One of the services that my office provides for Hoosiers is flags that have been flown over the U.S. Capitol.

Thank you for your continued interest in Congress and for supporting my efforts to bring Hoosier common sense to Washington. Take care.

Sincerely,

Todd Rokita

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