The Center for Individual Freedom today joined a coalition of 20 free market, taxpayer advocacy, and limited government grassroots and public policy organizations on a letter urging Congress to pass Trade Promotion Authority (TPA).

Read the full letter below.  Download the PDF version here.

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April 21, 2015

Dear Speaker Boehner and Leader McConnell:

On behalf of the free market, taxpayer advocacy, and limited government grassroots and public policy organizations listed below, we urge you to pass Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) as soon as possible.

TPA is a necessary step to get Congress moving on a long-stalled trade agenda. Without it, there is little hope that this Congress will make any progress on advancing free trade, a conservative public policy goal which all our organizations support.

TPA gives the executive branch the authority needed to finalize trade agreements, while Congress retains a robust amount of control, oversight, and transparency; ultimately Congress has an up-or-down vote on every specific trade agreement.

By definition, the term of this TPA will extend beyond the current administration and into the next one—the goal here is to advance America’s free trade agenda this century, and not to be mired in the stalled trade failures of the recent past.

We believe that tariffs are taxes on trade, and ultimately would like to see a world free of government interference in international commerce. Passing TPA is a necessary step toward getting the ball rolling on that long term policy goal, and we therefore urge you to pass Trade Promotion Authority.

Sincerely,

Amy Noone Frederick - 60 Plus Association
Phil Kerpen - American Commitment
Dan Schneider - American Conservative Union
Stephen DeMaura - Americans for Job Security
Grover Norquist - Americans for Tax Reform
Jeffrey L. Mazzella - Center for Individual Freedom
Chip Faulkner - Citizens for Limited Taxation
Iain Murray - Competitive Enterprise Institute
April Ponnuru - Conservative Reform Network
Thomas A. Schatz - Council for Citizens Against Government Waste
Steven J. Duffield - Crossroads GPS
Katie McAuliffe - Digital Liberty
Brian Baker - Ending Spending
George Landrith - Frontiers of Freedom
Louie Hunter - Georgia Center Right Coalition
Andrew Langer - Institute for Liberty
Brian McClung - Minnesota Center-Right Coalition
Brandon Arnold - National Taxpayers Union
Lori Sanders - R Street
Paul Gessing - Rio Grande Foundation
David Williams - Taxpayers Protection Alliance 
Mike Thompson - Thomas Jefferson Institute For Public Policy​