CASE STUDIES: ADVOCACY

Managing The Coalition That Helped

Pass Trade Promotion Authority
Situation
With a Republican majority in the
House and Senate in the 114th
Congress, the opportunity arose to
pass Trade Promotion Authority
(TPA) legislation that would enable
the President to pursue international
free trade agreements.
Anti-free trade groups, however,
waged an aggressive campaign to
prevent the fairly procedural
legislation from passing.
Opposition groups explicitly tied
campaign contributions to how
Democratic members of Congress
voted on the bill, and some
conservative groups characterized
the bill as a concession of authority
to the President.

Our Approach
HPS coordinated a nationwide
campaign to pass TPA.
Manage and strategically direct
coalition activity
Provide real-time intelligence to direct
targeted activity by coalition members
in specific states and districts.
Develop and distribute research,
talking points, and data.
Run media engagement and rapid
response
Engage with reporters on a proactive
and rapid response basis.
Elevate local voices across multiple
platforms
Activate local voices using opinion
pieces, advertising, earned media,
and grassroots to tell the story about
how trade benefits local businesses
and communities.

Impact
TPA passed with bipartisan support in
both the House and Senate, despite
significant opposition from influential
members of both parties.
The coalition successfully passed TPA
with an aggressive six-month
campaign that included more than
250,000 direct contacts with Members
of Congress or their staffs, nearly 200
opinion pieces in regional and national
markets, and approximately $2 million
in advertising.
Trade Authority Bill Wins
Final Approval In Senate
Trade Bill Clears Senate,
Moves To White House
Congress Renews 'Fast
Track' Trade Authority