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Thursday, May 21, 2015

Senate Debate Reveals Absurd Level Of Trade Pact Secrecy

"However, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) objected to bringing the bill forward. In response, Manchin and Warren made a few telling observations about the Trans-Pacific Partnership, the vast trade agreement the U.S. is currently negotiating with 11 other nations.

The pair noted that although legislators are allowed to look at the text of the TPP in a secure room, they are only allowed to do so under restrictions that make it nearly impossible to understand what they are reading.

First, they can't bring expert staffers with them unless they have the right clearances, and the aides who have expertise in various relevant areas -- for instance on the impacts on the environment or labor law -- generally are not cleared.

Second, lawmakers can't record anything, or take any notes from the room.

"They'll give you a piece of paper if you want to take notes, but then you have to give them back the piece of paper," Warren said.

The legislators can't talk to anyone about what they've read, either."

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