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Abstract
Referring to an Aug. 16 letter to USTR Robert Lighthizer signed by more than 50 House members, Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-NJ), the ranking member of the House Ways & Means trade subcommittee, this week blasted the agency for not following through on transparency requirements laid out in the Trade Promotion Authority law. Section 105(a)(1)(D) of the Trade Promotion Authority law says USTR, after consulting with the Senate Finance and House Ways & Means committees about a trade deal, must issue "a detailed and comprehensive summary of the specific objectives with respect to the negotiations, and a description of how the agreement, if successfully concluded, will further those objectives and benefit the United States." [...]many sources are increasingly doubtful that a new deal can be approved by Congress given that some of USTR's proposals have drawn the ire of key Republican lawmakers and many in the business community.