NRF, Gap support Trade Promotion Authority

Washington, D.C. – The National Retail Federation (NRF) and Gap Inc. are both asking Congress to approve legislation that would reauthorize Trade Promotion Authority (TPA), saying such authority is critical to advancing free trade agreements.



Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore. and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wis. have introduced legislation that would renew TPA, which expired in 2007. Under TPA, Congress sets trade agreement negotiating objectives and priorities, consults with and provides oversight over the administration and retains authority to review and consider final agreements. After trade negotiations conclude, Congress is then required to approve the pacts with a straight up-or-down vote, without amendments.



"Trade is vital to the global competitiveness of Gap Inc., and supports more than 110,000 Gap Inc. employees across the U.S.," said Sonia Syngal, executive VP of global supply chain and product operations, Gap Inc. "TPA is key to making sure U.S. companies and workers get the best possible outcomes in trade agreements, and we strongly encourage Congress and the president to work together to enact it as soon as possible.”



In addition to TPA, NRF supports free trade agreements like the Trans-Pacific Partnership and Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, renewal of the African Growth and Opportunity Act and the retroactive reauthorization of the Generalized System of Preferences.



“It is vitally important that Congress support international trade by tearing down barriers to markets and reducing tariffs,” NRF president and CEO Matthew Shay said. “We urge Congress to quickly pass TPA legislation in order to conclude trade agreements currently being negotiated.”