Fox’s Bret Baier quizzed Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on the ongoing discussions surrounding fast track legislation Tuesday, asking him why GOP leadership hasn’t made the bill “transparent” yet.
During Tuesday’s “Special Report” broadcast, Baier told McConnell that he was sounding like Nancy Pelosi over the Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) wrangling, having told the host that the American people will eventually find out what’s in the bill.
However, McConnell dodged Baier’s questioning on TPA, going on instead about the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which President Barack Obama looks to negotiate after the TPA battle. Currently, GOP leadership and President Obama’s allies are looking to cobble together the 218 votes to get the bill through against bipartisan opposition.
Republicans opposing giving Obama fast track are concerned with expanding the power granted to him, while Democrats are worried about the effect on unions.
BRET BAIER: Why not make the trade bill transparent? Why not tell people what’s in it?
MITCH MCCONNELL: Oh, we’re going to find out what’s in it because —
BAIER: That sounds like Nancy Pelosi. You’re going to find out after you pass it.
MCCONNELL: No, no. It hadn’t been finalized yet.
BAIER: But you passed it though…
MCCONNELL: What Trade Promotion Authority is is a process to deal with it. The trade agreement will be completely transparent. We’ll have a chance to vote whether to approve it or not.
BAIER: So all this criticism about we don’t know what’s in it yet, you discount that?
MCCONNELL: I don’t buy that because the agreement hasn’t been finalized. What we’ve been voting on is a procedure that allows it to be dealt with once it’s completed. We’ll know what’s in it. We’ll know everything about what’s in it and we’ll be able to decide whether to pass it or not.
WATCH (Starts at 5:52):