Fact check/Did Frank Guinta switch his position on the Trans-Pacific Partnership?
Fact check: Did Frank Guinta switch his position on the Trans-Pacific Partnership?
Rep. Frank Guinta (R-N.H.) and Carol Shea-Porter
August 19, 2016
By Humberto Sanchez
Republican Rep. Frank Guinta, who represents New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District, is facing four opponents in the September 13 GOP primary. The winner will take on Democratic candidate Carol Shea-Porter in the general election.
Guinta—a member of the National Republican Congressional Committee's Patriot Program, which assists vulnerable House Republicans—released a video on July 27 entitled “You Deserve To Know Exactly where I Stand.”
In the video, he discusses his position on several policies, including his opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). “While I believe in free trade, it must also be fair trade. So I oppose the Trans Pacific Partnership, which will kill good jobs,” Guinta said.| Frank Guinta, "You Deserve to Know Exactly Where I Stand", July 27, 2016 |
In a press release issued the same day, Shea-Porter claimed that Guinta “deceived voters” about his position on the TPP. As proof of Guinta’s supposed past support of the TPP, the release cites a March 6, 2015, letter to President Obama signed by Guinta and 14 other GOP members. The letter urges the president to pursue fast-track authority to negotiate a trade deal. The Shea-Porter press release also cites Guinta’s 2015 vote for the Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) as evidence of his past support for the Trans-Pacific Partnership.[1]
Did Guinta “deceive voters” by switching his position on TPP?
No. The March 6, 2015, letter urged President Obama to prioritize trade negotiations on several fronts and stressed the importance of TPA, which gives the president the authority to negotiate trade deals but requires an up or down vote by Congress to approve a pact.[2]
Guinta did vote in 2015 for TPA; he told WMUR at the time that the law “holds the Obama administration accountable to both the American people and Congress and ensures all trade agreements are secure, effective and in the best interest of the United States.” However, Guinta’s support for the TPA does not translate into support for the TPP. He can still vote against the deal.[3]
Background
Guinta has represented New Hampshire’s 1st Congressional District for two nonconsecutive terms. He was first elected in 2010, lost the subsequent race to Shea-Porter in 2012, and regained the seat in 2014. He now faces Rich Ashooh, Jamieson Gradert, Michael Callis, and Robert Risley in the September 13 Republican primary.
The TPP is a trade deal between the United States and 11 other countries that took seven years to negotiate and runs hundreds of pages long. The 12 countries have agreed to reduce thousands of tariffs and other barriers to trade between them, but others will remain. It also contains intellectual property rights provisions.[4]
The March 2015 letter
The March 6, 2015, letter from the GOP members of Congress to the president expressed support for free trade but did not endorse the TPP.
“There is great potential in the negotiations now underway for the Trans-Pacific Partnership,” the letter said. “All these negotiations provide the opportunity to include strong and enforceable provisions that would eliminate tariffs and non-tariff barriers for U.S. exports of goods, services agricultural products, as well as strong disciplines in other areas.”[5]
TPA vote
Guinta voted twice for TPA in 2015, on June 12 (H.R. 1314) and June 18 (H.R. 2146).[6][7] (He also voted for Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA), which provides financial support and job training for workers displaced by trade deals.[8][9])
The House first voted on legislation that included both TPA and TAA (H.R. 1314), which failed. However, each program was subsequently approved by the House as separate bills. The Senate passed TPA and TAA on June 24, 2015, and President Obama signed the bills into law on June 29, 2015.[10][11]
Conclusion
Frank Guinta is seeking re-election in New Hampshire's 1st Congressional District seat. Four other candidates are seeking the Republican nomination and will face off with Guinta in the September 13 primary. The winner will face Democratic candidate Carol Shea-Porter.
Guinta released a video on July 27 in which he discussed his position on several policies, including his opposition to TPP.
Shea-Porter issued a press release the same day in which she said Guinta “deceived voters” about his position on the TPP, due to having signed on to a March 6, 2015, letter and voting in favor of TPA.[1]
Did Guinta switch his position on the TPP?
No. The March 6, 2015 letter simply expressed support for free trade but did not endorse the TPP. The letter also urged the president to fight for passage of the Trade Promotion Authority.[2] Guinta did vote for the TPA, but his support for the TPA does not translate into support for the TPP. He can still vote against the deal.
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Sources and Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Carol Shea-Porter, "Guinta deceives voters on TPP position after casting deciding vote to give President Obama power to fast-track TPP," July 27, 2016
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 United States Congressman Tom Emmer, "Reps. Emmer and Walters Send Pro-TPA Letter to President," March 9, 2016
- ↑ WMUR, "Kuster opposes, Guinta backs Obama on key trade vote in US House," June 12, 2015
- ↑ Office of the United States Trade Representative, "The Trans-Pacific Partnership," accessed August 11, 2016
- ↑ United States Congressman Tom Emmer, "Reps. Emmer and Walters Send Pro-TPA Letter to President," March 9, 2016
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.R.1314 - Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015," accessed August 11, 2016
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.R.2146 - Defending Public Safety Employees' Retirement Act," accessed August 11, 2016
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.R.1295 - Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015," accessed August 11, 2016
- ↑ CNBC, "House passes measure offering aid for workers hurt by trade bills," June 25, 2015
- ↑ The Hill, "Senate approves fast-track, sending trade bill to White House," June 24, 2015
- ↑ UPI, "Obama signs fast-track trade, worker assistance bills into law," June 29, 2015
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