WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.), a member of the Senate Finance Committee and Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued the following statement after voting against cloture on the motion to proceed to H. R. 1314, the legislative vehicle for Trade Promotion Authority Act (TPA).

“Free trade can be good for the United States, but only if it is done right — leveling the playing field for all workers; protecting workers’ rights, human rights, and the environment; and addressing serious imbalances including currency manipulation. We cannot proceed on faith that a piecemeal approach will eventually include crucial trade programs and other trade enforcement and protections that more fully address these issues. There is never a guarantee that any bill will be enacted into law, but these four measures together should bring us closer to a reasonable and fair trade policy.”

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