Unusual Bipartisanship Makes New Free Trade Agreements More Likely

Today, Pillsbury attorneys Steve Becker and Elizabeth Moeller published their client alert titled Unusual Bipartisanship Makes New Free Trade Agreements More Likely. The Alert discusses major new free trade agreements that are on the horizon. For the past several years, the Obama Administration has been negotiating two new major free trade agreements: the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Partnership Agreement (TTIP). Because of divisions within the Democratic Party regarding trade agreements, previously it was uncertain whether the President could garner the support necessary to obtain Congressional approval. With both Houses of Congress now controlled by the Republican Party–which historically has supported trade agreements–the prospects for ultimate approval have significantly improved. Action on the TPP in particular is possible during 2015.