Stalled Fast Track is a Victory for Consumers, Workers and the Environment

Statement of Food & Water Watch Executive Director Wenonah Hauter

WASHINGTON — “Today, the House of Representatives put consumers, workers and the environment first when it blocked the easy passage of the Senate-passed Fast Track, also known as Trade Promotion Authority. The House of Representatives blocked one-half of the Fast Track measure in a lopsided bipartisan vote, which will prevent Fast Track from going to the President’s desk.

“Finally, Congress stood up to the Big Business interests pushing Fast Track, which derails the as-yet-unseen Trans-Pacific Partnership, a trade pact that will undermine key consumer, public health and environmental protections, and other trade deals that follow. Although the House narrowly passed the Fast Track measure itself, the other portion of the legislation covering worker trade assistance failed.

The American people should cheer that the Fast Track juggernaut has been derailed today. It will be nearly impossible to jump start Fast Track at this point, but the broad-based coalition that brought down the Fast Track package today will remain vigilant to prevent future parliamentary shenanigans in the House and Senate that try to reanimate Fast Track.”