Orrin Hatch: “I rise in opposition to the Portman- Stabenow amendment No. 1299. This is important to me. There has been a lot of…”

“I rise in opposition to the Portman- Stabenow amendment No. 1299. This is important to me. There has been a lot of debate and discussion on this amendment. Currency manipulation is a complex issue. But the fact is the vote on this amendment is not complex at all. A vote for the Portman-Stabenow amendment is a vote to kill TPA. We know that. The administration has made it abundantly clear that President Obama will veto any TPA bill that contains this amendment. A vote for the Portman-Stabenow amendment is also a vote to kill TPP. We know that as well. Many of our negotiating partners have already indicated that they will not agree to standards required by this amendment. The President of the United States opposes this amendment. The Secretary of the Treasury opposes this amendment. The Secretary of Agriculture opposes this amendment. All living former Treasury Secretaries, Republicans and Democrats alike, oppose the approach taken by this amendment. All I can say is, that being the case, I urge my colleagues to vote no on the Portman-Stabenow amendment. Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays. The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there a sufficient second? There is a sufficient second. The question is on agreeing to amendment No. 1299. The clerk will call the roll. The bill clerk called the roll. Mr. Cornyn. The following Senator is necessarily absent: the Senator from Wyoming (Mr. Enzi). The PRESIDING OFFICER.…”