Orrin Hatch: “I have been very interested in the debate, especially between the distinguished Senator from Alabama and the…”

“I have been very interested in the debate, especially between the distinguished Senator from Alabama and the distinguished Senator from Oregon. I have to say that it is very interesting that almost every business in this country wants this bill. Let me just start with mentioning that all the chairs of the President's Council of Economic Advisers under Presidents Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, William Clinton, George W. Bush, and Barack Obama have all said: We believe that agreements to foster greater international trade are in our national economic and security interests, and support a renewal of Trade Promotion Authority. This is from Alan Greenspan, Michael Boskin, R. Glenn Hubbard, Ben Bernanke, Austan Goolsbee, Charles Schultze, Laura D'Andrea Tyson, N. Gregory Mankiw, Edward B. Lazear, Alan B. Krueger, Martin Feldstein, Martin Baily, Harvey S. Rosen, and Christina D. Romer, just to mention a few. They say, in a letter to Senator McConnell and Harry Reid, and to the leaders in the House, John Boehner and Nancy Pelosi that virtually every chamber of commerce in the country has come behind this bill. To read one paragraph: TPA is a longstanding and proven partnership between Congress and the President that enables Congress to set negotiating objectives and requires the executive branch to consult extensively with legislators during negotiations. We urge you to act on this essential legislation. . . .…”