Wyden Bill Seeks U.S. Documents on Pacific-Trade Accord

A Senate Democrat said President Barack Obama’s administration hasn’t adequately informed Congress about Pacific-region trade negotiations and introduced legislation to improve communications about the talks.

“The majority of Congress is being kept in the dark as to the substance of” the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations, Senator Ron Wyden of Oregon, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee’s panel on international trade, said today in a statement.

The U.S. Trade Representative’s office is negotiating a deal with Australia, Brunei, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. Negotiators met this month near Dallas, and will resume talks in San Diego in early July.

A 2002 law designating a group of lawmakers to consult with the U.S. trade office has resulted in less communication on trade between USTR and most congressional offices, Wyden said.

His bill would require USTR “to provide documents related to trade negotiations to members of Congress and their staff upon request,” according to a copy of the legislation.

USTR officials didn’t immediately have a comment on Wyden’s bill.

To contact the reporter on this story: Brian Wingfield in Washington at bwingfield3@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Jon Morgan at jmorgan97@bloomberg.net