WE, your Memorialists, the Members of the One Hundred and Twenty-fifth Legislature of the State of Maine now assembled in the Second Regular Session, most respectfully present and petition the President of the United States and the Congress of the United States as follows:

WHEREAS,  the State of Maine strongly supports international trade when fair rules of trade are in place and seeks to be an active participant in the global economy in order to encourage meaningful transparency, appropriately acknowledge the vital role of state sovereignty and afford more meaningful congressional review and acceptance; and

WHEREAS,  the State of Maine seeks to maximize the benefits and minimize any negative effects of international trade; and

WHEREAS,  existing trade agreements have effects that extend significantly beyond the bounds of traditional trade matters, such as tariffs and quotas, and can undermine Maine's regulatory authority and constitutionally guaranteed authority to protect the public health, safety and welfare; and

WHEREAS,  a succession of federal trade negotiators from both political parties over the years has failed to operate in a transparent manner and failed to meaningfully consult with states on the far-reaching impact of trade agreements on state and local laws, even when binding the State of Maine to the terms of these agreements; and

WHEREAS,  existing trade agreements have not done enough to ensure a level playing field for Maine workers and businesses or to include meaningful human rights, labor and environmental standards, which hurts Maine businesses, workers and communities; and

WHEREAS,  the negative effect of existing trade agreements on Maine's regulatory authority and constitutionally guaranteed authority to protect the public health, safety and welfare has occurred in part because United States trade policy has been formulated and implemented in a process that lacks transparency, fails to properly recognize the principles of state sovereignty and lacks any meaningful opportunity for congressional review and acceptance; and

WHEREAS,  the United States Trade Representative is currently negotiating the terms of a proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, which will have a significant effect upon the citizens and commerce of the State of Maine; and

WHEREAS,  there is a current opportunity for improving the process by which significant foreign trade policy agreements such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement are negotiated; now, therefore, be it