| Fast Track Forever?
Mastel, Greg, Shapiro, Hal
International Economy, Summer 2006,v20, #3, pp50-55
"The authors note that there has been a nearly five-fold increase in Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) since fast-track negotiating authority was reestablished in 2002 by the Trade Promotion Authority Act. Fast-track authority is due to expire in 2007, and historically there have been long breaks before being reinstated, they state. Although it is possible to negotiate FTAs without fast-track authority, say the authors, it is much more difficult and prone to delays -- which discourages trade and is detrimental to both U.S. trade policy and global growth. Therefore, they recommend that some form of permanent fast-track authority be established. A permanent fast track would need to include mechanisms to improve the balance of powers between the President and Congress, they write; additionally, it should provide more guidance on determination of specific authority to negotiate." Greg Mastel was Chief International Trade Adviser-the lead Senate staff person-on the U.S. Senate Finance Committee during the drafting and consideration of the 2002 Trade Act. Hal Shapiro was Associate General Counsel in the office of the U.S. Trade Representative and the Senior Adviser for International Economic Affairs at the National Economic Council during the Clinton Administration. Both are now with the law firm of Miller and Chevalier.
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