Rand Paul presidential campaign, 2016/International trade
From Ballotpedia
 Rand Paul |
U.S. Senator (Assumed office: 2011) |
2028 • 2024 • 2020 • 2016 |
This page was current as of the 2016 election.
- Rand Paul wrote an op-ed in Kentucky paper The Daily Independent on January 25, 2016 to show his support for steelworkers laid off as a result of “steel dumping” from “unfairly traded imports.” Paul wrote, “I know this is an issue incredibly important to the hard-working families in Ashland and the surrounding areas, as well as Kentucky as a whole. I gave you my word when I made a commitment to the community to monitor this situation and aid in any way possible, and I will continue to stay involved on behalf of the community, workers, and families.”[2]
- At the fourth Republican primary debate, on November 10, 2015, Rand Paul discussed his position on negotiating trade deals. He said, "There is an argument that China doesn't like the [TPP] deal because in us doing the deal, we'll be trading with their competitors. You're exactly right. But I think we've sort of missed the point a little bit here. There is an important point, though, about how we discuss these trade treaties that I do agree with Mr. Trump on. We should negotiate from a position of strength. And we also should negotiate using the full force and the constitutional power that was given to us. I think it's a mistake that we give up power to the presidency on these trade deals. We give up the power to filibuster, and I'm kind of fond of that power. We give up the power to amend. And I think, really, one of the big problems we have in our country is, over the last century, really, so much power has gravitated to the executive branch. Really, Congress is kind of a bystander. We don't write the rules. We don't make the laws. The executive branch does. So even in trade -- and I am for trade -- I think we should be careful about giving so much power to the presidency.[3]
- On June 24, 2015, by a vote of 60-38, the Senate approved trade promotion authority (TPA) as part of HR 2146 - Defending Public Safety Employees' Retirement Act. Paul was one of five Republicans to vote against the bill.[4]
- On May 22, 2015, the Senate passed HR 1314, which was used as a legislative vehicle for trade legislation with the titles "Trade Act of 2015" and the "Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015," by a vote of 62-37. The bill proposed giving the president trade promotion authority (TPA). The bill also included a statement of trade priorities and provisions for trade adjustment assistance. Paul voted against the bill with three other Republican senators.[5][6]
- After a May 2015 town hall event in New Hampshire, Paul told WMUR, ABC 9 that he would vote against trade promotion authority (TPA), and that he would consider voting for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal. He said, "I’m hesitant to give blanket authority on stuff we haven’t seen. I’m not saying there wouldn’t be a time I could be for it, if I’d seen the trade agreement, and it’s fine. ...I still might vote for the trade agreement, but I hate giving up power. We give up so much power from Congress to the presidency, and with them being so secretive on the treaty, it just concerns me what’s in the treaty."[7]
- In an October 2014 speech at the Center for the National Interest, Rand Paul expressed support for free trade. Paul said, "President George W. Bush understood that part of the projection of American power is the exporting of American goods and culture. His administration successfully brokered fourteen new free trade agreements and negotiated three others that are the only new free trade agreements approved since President Obama took office. Instead of just talking about a so-called 'pivot to Asia,' the Obama administration should prioritize negotiating the Trans-Pacific Partnership by year’s end. Free trade and technology should be the greatest carrot of our statecraft. Trade is a critical element of building a productive relationship with other nations, including China.[8]
- In May 2015, Paul was less enthusiastic about the Trans-Pacific Partnership, citing his opposition to trade promotion authority. On May 21, 2015, Paul voted against cloture on a bill that would grant the president the power to send trade agreements to Congress with minimal debate and without the power to amend.[9][10][11]
| Paul speaks at the Center for the National Interest in October 2014. |
- In 2011, Paul voted in favor of trade agreements with Colombia, Panama and Korea.[12][13][14]
- In 2011, Paul voted for S Amdt 740 which would "eliminate funding for the trade adjustment assistance for firms program."[15]
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term Rand + Paul + International + Trade
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ Politico, "Rand Paul dropping out of White House race," February 3, 2016
- ↑ The Daily Independent, "U.S. SENATOR RAND PAUL: Still Fighting for Ashland," January 25, 2016
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Who said what and what it meant: The 4th GOP debate, annotated," November 10, 2015
- ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Motion (Motion to Concur in the House Amendment to the Senate Amendment to H.R. 2146)," accessed September 7, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "HR 1314," accessed May 25, 2015
- ↑ Senate.gov, "H.R. 1314 (Ensuring Tax Exempt Organizations the Right to Appeal Act)," accessed May 25, 2015
- ↑ WMUR.com, "Paul opposes granting Obama fast-track trade authority," accessed May 13, 2015
- ↑ The National Interest, "Rand Paul: The Case for Conservative Realism," October 23, 2014
- ↑ The Hill, "Rand Paul to oppose fast-track," May 12, 2015
- ↑ CNN, "Trade bill clears Senate hurdle," May 21, 2015
- ↑ Senate.gov, "On the Cloture Motion (Motion to Invoke Cloture on Hatch Amdt. No. 1221 to H.R. 1314 )," accessed May 21, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, “H.R.3078 - United States-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act," accessed May 21, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, “H.R.3079 - United States-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act," accessed May 21, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, “H.R.3080 - United States-Korea Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act," accessed May 21, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.Amdt.740 to S.Amdt.738," accessed May 15, 2015
| |||||||||||