So lets get this straight: Portman is saying that he refuses to read this trade deal that would cost jobs, is harmful to the environment and net neutrality and gives corporations even more control because it's a secret document? He also thinks it's wrong for the public to not know what's in the draft but yet is still pushing to fast track it. This is not that surprising given Portman's record as Bush's trade representative and the fact that he's the Senator who took the most pro-TPP lobbying cash to push this draft through. You can read more here:U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, a former U.S. trade representative, refuses to review a draft of what would be the country’s largest trade agreement in history if approved.That, he says, is because of the secrecy of the proposal.
“It was behind closed doors, and I refused to see it,” said Portman, a Republican from the Cincinnati area who served as former President George W. Bush’s U.S. trade representative from May 2005 to May 2006.
The secret document is a draft of the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement.
The document is classified as are most trade proposals because leaders of countries in these deals don’t want details revealed before approval.
If approved by Congress, TPP would be the nation’s largest trade agreement and include 11 other countries. A vote on TPP is expected no earlier than December.
Though he hasn’t read the TPP proposal, Portman voted June 24 with the majority in a 60-38 vote to approve fast-track authority. Fast track is a key step in the trade process. It allows the president to give such deals to Congress for only yes-or-no votes without the power for the legislative body to amend them.
Portman said he told his colleagues in the Republican-controlled Senate that to forbid the public to see the plan is “wrong.” - Vindy.com, 8/3/15
As for the TPP itself, it's fate has yet to be determined which you can read more here:
The TPP has become a top campaign issue for Portman's likely opponent, former Governor Ted Strcikland (D. OH). Polling has showed that Strickland is making this a very competitive race and Portman is running scared and is already spending money to attack Strickland:
Lets win back this seat and help Strickland win. Click here to donate and get involved with his campaign:Sen. Rob Portman’s (R-Ohio) campaign will release a trio of new digital ads on Monday in the latest round of what has been an aggressive early advertising push by the incumbent senator.
The Portman campaign ads, first viewed by The Hill, are debate-themed ahead of Thursday’s first official Republican presidential forum. They hit Portman’s Democratic challenger, former Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland, for his economic record during his one term in the governor’s mansion.
“There’s no debate in Ohio’s race for U.S. Senate,” the narrator in one of the ads says. “Ted Strickland’s failed record is bad for Ohio. Under Ted Strickland, Ohio lost over 350,000 jobs and ranked 48th in the country in job creation.”
Each of the three ads then cuts to a classic moment from a presidential debate, such as former Vice President Al Gore sighing or former President Ronald Reagan saying, “there you go again.” - The Hill, 8/3/15
