Vast Majority of Americans Support Trade Agreements & Congressional Action to Update and Pass TPA Legislation
A new poll of 1,000 registered voters shows the vast majority – more than 80 percent of Americans across party lines – support the United States negotiating trade agreements to expand market access for U.S. goods and services around the globe. The poll also reveals that more than 75 percent of Americans support congressional passage of Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) legislation to help Congress and the President work together to put trade agreements in place.
Do you support the United States negotiating trade agreements to open foreign markets for American-made goods and services to ensure fair and enforceable rules for U.S. trade with other countries?
The United States is currently negotiating trade agreements to create opportunities to sell more American-made goods and services to 11 other countries in the Asia-Pacific region and to European countries. Do you support such trade negotiations to open these foreign markets to U.S. goods and services and to create strong rules for U.S. trade with those countries?
From the 1930s through 2007, Congress has authorized every President to negotiate trade agreements that open foreign markets for U.S. goods and services, but that authority – called Trade Promotion Authority – expired in 2007 and needs to be updated and passed again. Do you favor or oppose Congressional action to update and pass Trade Promotion Authority legislation?
By passing Trade Promotion Authority legislation, Congress can set goals for trade agreements and require the President to consult with it during their negotiation. Congress must then approve each final trade agreement. Do you support passage of Trade Promotion Authority to help Congress and the President put in place trade agreements that open foreign markets?
Do you believe or not believe this statement: trade agreements have a proven record of opening markets for U.S. products.
Methodology: The survey polled 1,000 registered voters by telephone from February 24, 2014 to February 25, 2014. The margin of error is 3.1 percent.