Today the House of Representatives brought us one step closer to finally defeating Fast Track. The House took three votes on three components of the Fast Track bill already passed by the Senate. To give President Obama Fast Track authority all three components needed to pass. In a stunning victory for advocates of fair trade House members defeated the first component Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA), designed to help workers harmed by trade deals, but which labor rights groups have called inadequate.
Defeating the TAA portion of Fast Track has killed the whole bill for now. This sends a strong signal that there is demand more fair trade rules and procedures. All of the calls and letters in the months leading up to the vote made this defeat possible.
Next week the House will reconsider TAA so it is important to keep up the momentum until Fast Track is defeated once and for all.
Several of our allies have also issued statements on this victory and what it means: