WHEREAS, the Republican Party of Texas supports ‘Free Trade’ as classically defined: international trade that is free from such government interference as import quotas, export subsidies, and protective tariffs, and as being integral to American free market capitalism and to American economic and political influence in the world; and
WHEREAS, we find that contemporary free trade pacts, both existing and proposed, contribute very little to eliminating trade barriers but instead serve as instruments to strip away American jobs, industry, and most importantly national sovereignty; and
WHEREAS, these free trade pacts are being secretively negotiated under this ‘fast track’ authority; and
WHEREAS, in recent years both Republican and Democratic administrations have resorted to the use of “fast track” authority, now known as Trade Promotion Authority or TPA, to entice the Congress to unconstitutionally delegate away its sole authority to regulate commerce with foreign nations to the Executive Branch. By these means the role of Congress is relegated to being allowed one ‘up or down’ vote without amendment on these trade pacts.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the State Republican Executive Committee of the Republican Party of Texas, urges the U.S. Congress to reject any and all future TPAs or Fast Track Authorities, and instead perform its Constitutional duties in regards to trade; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that this resolution, properly enacted and executed this 6th day of June 2015, be transmitted to each Republican member in the Texas caucus of the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate, and to all Republican County and Senate District Chairs in Texas.
Passed UNANIMOUSLY by the State Republican Executive Committee on June 6, 2015