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November 6, 1997 House of Representatives Washington, DC 20515 Oppose HR 2621, Anti-Environmental Fast Track Legislation Dear Representative: On behalf of the more than half million members of Sierra Club, the nation's largest grassroots environmental organization, I urge you to reject HR 2621, The Reciprocal Trade Agreement Authorities Act of 1997, when it comes before the House later this week. This Fast Track proposal marks a substantial retreat from the Clinton Administration's stated goal of ensuring that trade agreements promote environmentally sustainable development. Sierra Club counts a "no" to HR 2621 among the most important decisions Congress will take this year. Among other serious flaws, HR 2621: Signals to our trading partners that they can compete on the basis of lax environmental standards. The proposal would allow only environmental provisions in trade agreements that are "directly related" to trade. Thus, it could be used to bar enforceable environmental and labor standards from future trade treaties and their "side agreements." Increases the risk that our own environmental and health laws will be attacked as "trade barriers." Already, US and international food inspection, food safety, pollution control, resource protection, consumer labeling, government procurement, wildlife protection, and international environmental agreements have been attacked or weakened under international trade agreements. This Fast Track bill would only increase the ability of trade rules to undermine legitimate environmental and health laws, for instance, by authorizing new restrictions on "unjustified" food safety standards; Authorizes fast-track treatment for the Multilateral Agreement on Investment (MAI), negotiated among the 29 nations of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Among other egregiously anti-environmental provisions, the MAI would allow foreign investors to sue taxpayers for compensation if their property values are reduced by pollution or land protection laws, potentially chilling future efforts at environmental protection; Perpetuates an unaccountable trade negotiating process which provides ready access for corporate lobbyists, but shuts out Congress and the American people. By asking Congress to surrender its constitutional authority to amend trade agreements at the beginning rather than at the end of trade negotiations, this Fast Track proposal would continue to deprive Congress of adequate leverage to ensure that trade agreements serve the broad public interest. Defeating HR 2621 will not prevent the United States Trade Representative from negotiating new, multilateral trade agreements. Such negotiations have proceeded rapidly without Fast Track. However, by defeating this legislation, Congress will set the stage for a trade policy that is a force for environmental progress and not simply an excuse for new attacks on our hard-won environmental and public health safeguards. Sincerely, Carl Pope Executive Director Up to Top HOME | Email Signup | About Us | Contact Us | Terms of Use | © 2008 Sierra Club