The 12 member nations included in the Trans-Pacific Partnership now must roll up their sleeves and work on gaining approval of the massive trade deal. The deal signed last week following five years of negotiations must be approved by the governments of each country involved in the agreement. The Miami Herald reports approval may be the toughest hurdle yet for the deal that represents 40 percent of the global economy. The U.S. Congress has vowed to look at every detail of the 5,000 some page agreement, and many key lawmakers are currently opposed to the deal. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky has yet to back the trade agreement, and a vote appears unlikely until after the November elections. Trade negotiators warn delaying the deal would be costly to the Unites States regarding economics and world leadership. The trade deal garnered protest around the world last week as protesters claimed the deal gives too much power to corporations in the United States. Opposition in Japan centers on the agriculture provisions that prompt food safety concerns and health care remains a sticking point for others.
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