MADISON, Wis. - The Trans-Pacific Partnership, a trade agreement critics call "NAFTA on steroids," has been the subject of largely secretive negotiations among the United States and 11 other nations.

What's been leaked about the agreement suggests that it contains huge changes in the way international business is done, said David Newby, president of the Wisconsin Fair Trade Coalition.

"They're very far-reaching and they have an immense effect on our workers and our economy," he said, "and yet they're negotiated in secret, so we have no idea for sure what is actually being talked about."

There is strong speculation now that President Obama will "fast-track" the agreement. Newby said this is bad for a number of reasons - first, because we don't know enough about what's actually in the proposal, and second, because fast-tracking would give all the negotiating power to the president, who then would send it to Congress.

"They can't amend it, they can't make any changes," he said, "and, in fact, debate is limited to 20 hours in the House, 20 hours in the Senate, and then they've got to vote it up or down."

If the Trans-Pacific Partnership was a good idea, Newby said, it would be debated in the open, rather than by process of the secretive talks that have been going on for years.

Supporters say the agreement will be a boon to international trade.

According to Newby, about 600 corporate lobbyists - but not journalists or the public - have access to the documents. He said some of the leaks have led him to believe the agreement would make it more difficult for American workers to compete for international business. He said Vietnam is one of the participating countries.

"The minimum wage in Vietnam is 56 cents an hour," he said. "Now, how can an American workers compete with workers that are making 56 cents an hour, a lot less than workers in China, for example."

Another leaked document outlined a provision where foreign corporations could file charges against the U.S. government for any new standards or regulations that could reduce the foreign company's expected profits - a provision Newby said could chill efforts to curb pollution.

"These suits are not heard in our courts," he said. "They go directly to the World Bank, which appoints a panel of international lawyers; they hear the case, and they have the power to levy unlimited fines against our government if companies find that these new regulations can reduce their profits."


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Even in a stable economy, consumers in Wisconsin and elsewhere still express pessimism and advocates said a key federal agency working on issues like unfair business practices cannot risk losing resources needed to help consumers.

To avoid a government shutdown, Congress has to approve a new federal budget by month's end. Over the summer, House Republicans floated cuts in certain areas, including a 27% funding cut for the Federal Trade Commission.

Erin Witte, director of consumer protection for the Consumer Federation of America, said the timing could not be worse for such a move.

"We've seen people talk a lot about feeling like their costs are increased in lots of ways," Witte pointed out. "The FTC's work is really aimed at trying to lower a lot of those costs, to bring some fairness back to the process."

Last month, the agency co-hosted the first meeting of a task force about whether companies are price-gouging and the effect on consumers. GOP leaders on the Appropriations Committee said they want a financial services bill prioritizing combating terrorism-money activity, maintaining the integrity of financial markets and spurring small business growth.

Witte contends the FTC has made progress in standing up for consumers with great efficiency. She pointed to the proposed "click to cancel" rule, which would remove barriers for people worried about recurring charges for an unwanted subscription for a service or product.

"That would make it as easy for someone to cancel a subscription as it is to sign up for it," Witte explained. "That proposal has gotten thousands of comments from consumers about how much time they are wasting on things like unnecessary subscriptions."

The state-level organization Opportunity Wisconsin has also cited concerns about consumer protections being gutted. It called on Congress to pass clean funding bills without extreme provisions it said would "hurt Wisconsin families." It is unclear if any of the budget ideas floated over the past several months will find their way into a final spending plan.

Congress is back from recess and lawmakers are hearing from producers about getting a new Farm Bill passed with the latest deadline looming.

North Dakota farmers were among those who traveled to Washington, D.C., to demand progress. More than two dozen North Dakota Farmers Union members were part of a large contingent getting face-to-face time with federal lawmakers this week.

The Farm Bill, last updated in 2018, needs to be reauthorized by the end of the month or elements of the current version will expire.

Bob Kuylen, a farmer from the western half of the state, said the uncertainty comes as small-to-mid-sized producers face the prospect of dwindling profits.

"Inputs are awful high and we're down there in prices quite a ways," Kuylen pointed out.

A glut of crops and other products on the market are resulting in smaller financial returns for the farmers who grow them. The Union said a stronger safety net in a new Farm Bill could make losses easier to absorb. However, with the fall election approaching and a federal budget also needing a vote, complications are mounting in getting the agricultural policy reauthorized.

The Farm Bill also funds key initiatives to address hunger relief like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Kuylen noted it shows the sweeping policy touches a lot of facets within the food production system, affecting many Americans.

"Eighty-two percent of the Farm Bill is nutrition," Kuylen explained. "Farmers get a very small part of the Farm Bill. You know, it covers things like conservation programs."

The statistic he cited is reported by the Congressional Research Service. Union voices said the urgency comes as farmers also deal with rising machinery costs and corporate consolidation within agriculture. Last fall, Congress approved a one-year extension of the Farm Bill, prompting fears lawmakers would again let negotiations drag on until the last minute.

West Virginia lawmakers will convene for a Special Session on Sept. 30, with the state's child care crisis, proposed income tax cuts and supplemental appropriations on the agenda.

The Mountain State's spending on child care is much lower than neighboring states and has steadily declined over the past decade, according to the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy. It is estimated the parents of around 26,000 children currently lack affordable child care options.

Gov. Jim Justice is reiterating his push for child care tax credits.

"Absolutely try to get our tax break across the finish line with child care," Justice urged. "There's supplemental appropriations that need to be done, and we need to get the money out the door."

Previous bills proposing a child care tax credit for households with incomes less than $65,000 a year have stalled in the Legislature. The Biden administration has said the state needs to contribute between $20 million and $30 million to keep a federal subsidy program afloat for the next year, to direct money to child care centers, making costs more affordable for families.

The governor is also proposing another 5% income tax cut.

"We need another tax break," Justice contended. "I'm very, very hopeful and optimistic that we're going to be able to get it through."

According to state data, tax revenue collections for August were lower than expected at around $403 million and down from last August, when $410 million in tax revenue was collected.

Support for this reporting was provided by The Carnegie Corporation of New York.