Bill Text: HI SR138 | 2013 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Trans-Pacific Partnership

Spectrum: Strong Partisan Bill (Democrat 17-1)

Status: (Passed) 2013-06-07 - Certified copies of resolutions sent, 06-07-13. [SR138 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2013-SR138-Introduced.html

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THE SENATE	S.R. NO.	138
TWENTY-SEVENTH LEGISLATURE, 2013
STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE RESOLUTION

 

 

EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR THE ENHANCED TRADE AND INVESTMENT OPPORTUNITIES AMONG MEMBER COUNTRIES OF THE TRANS-PACIFIC PARTNERSHIP and encouraging support for finalization of the PARTNERSHIP.

 

 

     WHEREAS, the Trans-Pacific Partnership is a proposed free trade agreement among the United States and various countries having the purpose of stimulating the economies of member nations; and

 

     WHEREAS, according to the "The Trans-Pacific Partnership Negotiations and Issues for Congress", a Congressional Research Service Report dated January 24, 2013:

 

          "The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) is a proposed regional free trade agreement (FTA) being negotiated among the United States, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam. U.S. negotiators and others describe and envision the TPP as a "comprehensive and high-standard" FTA, presumably because they hope it will liberalize trade in nearly all goods and services and include commitments beyond those currently established in the World Trade Organization (WTO).  The broad outline of an agreement was announced on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) ministerial in November 2011 in Honolulu, HI. If concluded as envisioned, the TPP potentially could eliminate tariff and non-tariff barriers to trade and investment among the parties and could serve as a template for a future trade pact among APEC members and potentially other countries. Congress has a direct interest in the negotiations, both through influencing U.S. negotiating positions with the executive branch, and by passing legislation to implement any resulting agreement. . . .

 

The 11 countries that make up the TPP negotiating partners include advanced industrialized, middle income, and developing economies. While new market access opportunities exist among the participants with whom the United States presently does not have FTAs, the greater value of the agreement to the United States may be setting a trade policy template covering issues it deems important and which can be adopted throughout the Asia-Pacific region, and possibly beyond."

 

     WHEREAS, Hawai‘i is located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean between the continents of Asia, Australia, North and South America, whose countries bordering the Pacific are part of the Pacific Rim nations; and

 

     WHEREAS, the economy, environment, and social fabric of Hawai‘i is impacted by the four continents, the Pacific Rim nations, and the many island nations of the Pacific; and

 

     WHEREAS, Hawai‘i successfully hosted the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders' Meeting held in Honolulu, Hawai‘i, in November 2011, demonstrating that Hawai‘i is a capable partner in major international engagements; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement will create jobs and promote job retention in the United States and consequently in Hawai‘i by increasing exports in the Pacific Rim region that represents more than forty percent of global trade; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-seventh Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2013, that this body supports the enhanced trade and investment opportunities among member countries of the Trans-Pacific Partnership and encourages Hawai‘i's Congressional delegation and other leaders to support negotiations to finalize the Partnership; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to President of the United States, President Pro Tempore of the United States Senate, Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, United States

Secretary of State, United States Secretary of Commerce, Hawai‘i's Congressional delegation, and the Governor.

 

 

 

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title: 

Trans-Pacific Partnership