Seeking Law Students for Legislative Advocacy Campaign on Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement
Co-Sponsored By: Advocates for Human Rights, Universities Allied for Essential Medicines, Harvard College Global Health and Aids Coalition
The Harvard College Global Health and AIDS Coalition (GHAC) is seeking law students who would like to participate in its legislative advocacy efforts surrounding the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, a free trade agreement currently being negotiated by the USTR and 11 other countries. The President is eager to introduce the TPP bill with a “fast track” – a parliamentary procedure that would allow him to ram the bill through Congress quickly without allowing for the normal level of debate among Congress that our democratic process usually necessitates. Most groups that we have talked to who are also working on the TPP are rallying behind a mission to oppose fast-tracking the TPP. The rationale is that if Congress actually saw and took the time to understand the contents of the negotiations, the TPP would face great opposition in Congress. This becomes especially important given how secretively these negotiations have taken place. With regards to transparency, Senator Warren has spoken out publicly against the secret nature of the TPP negotiations and its contents. In the coming weeks, the Global Health and AIDS Coalition (GHAC) is going to have legislative meetings with staff members at the offices of Warren, Markey, and Capuano. The purpose of these meetings is to explain why we oppose the TPP from an access to medicines standpoint and ask for their support in opposing the fast-track or making a public statement against the TPP. The President is less likely to fast-track if he feels there is disagreement over the issue.
Interested students should contact davyas@college.harvard.edu to find out how to get involved.