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A bipartisan group of House lawmakers is worried that proposed rule of origin standards on autos in a Pacific trade deal will hurt the U.S. industry.

Reps. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio) and Debbie Dingell (D-Mich.) on Thursday led a bipartisan group of 20 Democrats and one Republican — all who opposed fast-track authority for President Obama — calling on top U.S. trade officials to ensure that the United States doesn’t lower tariffs until Japan more fully opens its market to imports as part of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) deal. 

In a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman, the lawmakers said that an effort to set a 45 percent rule of origin standard for vehicles manufactured in TPP nations would allow Japan "to continue with an undisrupted supply chain that could have a disastrous impact on the U.S. supply chain and resulting loss of American jobs in the years ahead." 

The lawmakers wrote that Japan uses parts produced in non-TPP countries, which could lead to nations like China gaining a global advantage. 

"Strong rules of origin prevent products, especially auto parts, mostly made in China and other non-TPP nations, from getting privileged access to the U.S. marketplace," they wrote.

Rules of origin limit the percentage of a product that can be made up of parts from non-TPP nations. Any products that exceed a cap wouldn't get special market access under the TPP.

They want the TPP to increase the rules of origin standards above that of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and include a tariff phase-out period on Japanese cars, trucks and parts.

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