National Journal's CongressDailyAM
December 4, 2001
By Charlie Mitchell, Stephen Norton and Bara Vaida, with Stephanie Conner contributing

House passes trade legislation 12/6 (AP) -- In a victory for a wartime White House, the House narrowly approved legislation Thursday giving President Bush stronger authority to negotiate global trade deals. The vote was 215-214.

High-tech lobbyists, stung by criticism that they have failed to deliver Democratic votes for presidential trade negotiating authority, said Monday they have been closely engaged on the issue and are in the midst of a full-scale push for the legislation.

The House plans to vote Thursday on so-called trade promotion authority, even though GOP leaders acknowledge they still lack the votes to pass it.

Last Friday, House Republican leadership staff called about a dozen high-tech officials to Capitol Hill to strategize on gaining the support of undecided lawmakers--and to vent some frustration toward the industry representatives.

The GOP leadership was particularly frustrated that the high- tech sector had been unable to gain the support of some Democrats that traditionally support trade agreements, such as California Democratic Reps. Anna Eshoo and Ellen Tauscher.

"The message was that high-tech hasn't been doing enough," said one person who attended the meeting.

"The leaders have been [upset] for awhile," one high-tech official acknowledged. "The usefulness of what the leadership did on Friday was it got everyone focused on what needs to be done."

But Tim Bennett, vice president of the electronics trade association AeA, countered that high-tech lobbyists have been lobbying for trade-negotiating authority since April, National Journal's Technology Daily reported. They have held 170 meetings with lawmakers to outline why the authority is crucial to high- tech businesses.

Bennett said AeA President William Archey sent messages Monday to a majority of AeA's 3,500 members, urging them to call lawmakers. Archey also has been meeting personally with undecided lawmakers like Eshoo but has been unable to obtain confirmed support.

Bennett said undecided Democrats have argued that they would support a trade agreement if it were linked to a worker-relief plan.

In response, Brian Kelly, senior vice president at the Electronic Industries Alliance, said he has been telling undecided lawmakers that renewing trade-negotiating authority is "the best economic stimulus package we can pass."

Besides Eshoo and Tauscher, high-tech plans to target undecided Democratic Reps. Chet Edwards of Texas, Bob Etheridge of North Carolina, Jane Harman of California, Jay Inslee of Washington, Dennis Moore of Kansas, David Price of North Carolina and Adam Smith of Washington.

An ongoing CongressDaily survey of House members shows little movement by Democrats in support of the trade bill.

The U.S. High-Tech Coalition on Trade Promotion Authority has asked its 17 high-tech association members to request their CEOs personally call undecided House members who represent high-tech districts.

Industry representatives plan to participate in a Business Roundtable news conference on Capitol Hill today. Additionally, the coalition plans a high-tech lobbying day Wednesday.

"We've been lobbying this bill for months," said Cynthia Johnson, co-chairwoman and Texas Instruments' government relations director.

The Business Software Alliance is holding its annual technology summit in Washington with CEOs this week and will meet with lawmakers and White House officials Tuesday to discuss trade. The group of executives also plans a Wednesday news conference.

Meanwhile, the business community and the labor movement are battling it out on the airwaves.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is targeting radio ads on 65 mostly Democratic districts, while the Business Roundtable is running a separate TV, radio and print campaign in "scattered" districts across the country, according to a spokesman.

The AFL-CIO is running television ads opposing the legislation in 12 mostly Republican districts, according to a union official. The union is also conducting a "national call-in day" today, generating phone calls to Capitol Hill.

The trade bill is to be taken up by the House Rules Committee Wednesday. On Monday, Rules Chairman Dreier cautioned against additional concessions for specific industries, but acknowledged his panel could sanction a few minor modifications.

Today, Dreier, along with Trade Representative Zoellick, Commerce Secretary Evans and major business trade association leaders will lay out the importance of the issue to specific sectors of the economy.