U.S. trade policy can have huge impacts on the environment and on the general sustainability of the global and local economies. This congressional session has seen a lot of behind-the-scenes debate about trade policy. In early May some Democratic leaders including Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee Charlie Rangel, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Finance Committee Chariman Max Baucus announced they had reached a tentative deal in secret negotiations with the Bush administration on four pending Free Trade Agreements.

These Democrats claimed that the deal, the details of which have never been made public, includes Bush administration concessions on the environment and labor rights while the Democrats would agree to attempt to renew Bush's fast track negotiating authority. Under the Constitution, Congress has authority over international-trade agreements. But lawmakers have long delegated that authority to the executive branch, under a process designed to streamline consideration and avoid major fights over deals fraught with complexity and political controversy.

However, fast track only allows congress an up or down vote on trade deals restricting its ability to influence the details of trade deals while greatly empowering corporate interests and lobbyists to influence them. This method of establishing trade policy has wreaked havoc on the environment and long ignored the rights of laborers in disadvantaged economies, simply because it so empowers corporations which value short-term profits above sustainability and human rights.

The deal the Democrats announced a little over a month ago claims to have provisions for protecting the environment and laborers' rights. These provisions, as far as anyone can tell so far, amount to the ability for U.S.-based organizations to petition Congress on violations of international standards in these areas, but falls far short of allowing multinational environmental interests or labor unions to sue in international courts. Corporations have been allowed to sue in international courts any organization, including labor unions, who might impede profits. This double-standard is a by-product of undemocratic trade negotiations that give corporations far more power than citizens.

Fortunately, it appears that Pelosi's deal with the Bush administration is not catching on with many other Democrats. Some estimates have as many of three-quarters of House Dems voting against renewal of fast track authority and the various pending free trade agreements. The global economy, and, hence, U.S. Trade policy, has immeasurable impact on our environment and the integrity of life for every human. If we are going to realize the kind of change necessary to rerverse climate change and establish a global culture of human rights we will all need to start demanding a say in the development of our trade policy.

I'll keep an eye on the development of the pending trade agreements as they continue to progress.

Sources: WorkingForChange, Bush's Shrinking Global Trade Agenda (WSJ), EyesOnTrade, WashBlog.