TPP fast track loses Senate vote

Pipeline-pushing members of Congress explicitly promote the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) as a way to authorize more fracked methane export, which would promote more pipelines. Sabal Trail may say its gas isn’t for export, but those three already-authorized LNG export operations right where it goes in Florida suggest otherwise. Fortunately, TPP just lost a U.S. Senate vote for fast track, so now at least it can’t be pushed through without proper debate. If it’s so good for us, let’s see TPP declassified and the full text released to the public now.

Carter Dougherty and Heidi Przybyla, Sydney Morning Herald, 13 May 2013, Trans-Pacific Partnership: Senate Democrats revolt against Obama trade bill,

Washington: Senate Democrats staged a last- minute rebellion against one of President Barack Obama’s top legislative priorities by blocking a test vote on a trade measure that didn’t include companion measures they sought.

The vote, 52-45, effectively delays fast-track legislation Mr Obama wants to expedite approval of trade accords. The move saw Democrats “throw their own president under the bus,” according to one Republican senator.

Supporters needed 60 votes to overcome a threatened Democratic filibuster and advance the bill to a vote by the full chamber.

You can sign the Sierra Club petition, or the EFF petition, or the FWW petition, or support Senators such as Elizabeth Warren or Representatives such as Alan Grayson of Florida who have opposed TPP all along.

No TPP, no TAFTA, no LNG export to WTO countries, and no new pipelines to ship petroleum products or fracked methane to export!

-jsq

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