Wendy Sherman: “I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, if we vote for trade promotion authority, fast track, without Trade…”

“I thank the gentleman for yielding. Mr. Speaker, if we vote for trade promotion authority, fast track, without Trade Adjustment Assistance, if that is how we vote today, that is what we will get. The Republican chair of the Rules Committee has made it clear. He has already used his precious time to start blaming Democratic leadership for the fact that Trade Adjustment Assistance will not become law. The fact is that if Trade Adjustment Assistance ever comes before this House, it will, no doubt, be loaded up by the Republican leadership with a host of poison pills, making sure that Democrats cannot vote for it. I can't vote for Trade Adjustment Assistance if you terminate the Affordable Care Act as part of the bill, for example. Now the proponents of trade promotion authority have had to misstate the actual economic facts, the figures on our trade surpluses and deficits, in order to make their case. They have come again and again and said, we have a trade surplus with our free trade agreement partners. Completely false. I will put into the Record the chart listing each of our free trade agreement partners, and we are running a $177 billion deficit in goods. Including services, you are now down to a little over a $100 billion deficit. {time} 1030 Now, how is it that Member after Member has come here and said something demonstrably false?…”