USTR to request first-ever KORUS joint committee special session to amend agreement

Following President Trump’s promise to renegotiate the U.S.-Korea free trade agreement “right now,” an administration official told Inside U.S. Trade the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative will formally request that both countries’ joint committee convene in a so-called “special session” to consider potential amendments to the deal – a provision that sources said has never been used before, and one that runs counter…

Lighthizer ‘less persuaded’ by contention that 232 probes will spark retaliation

Fear of retaliation against U.S. producers should not deter the Trump administration from defending America’s interests by using every “legitimate” tool available — including Section 232 investigations into the national security impact of imports, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer told the House Ways & Means Committee on Thursday. [Jenny Leonard] June 22nd, 2017 [Inside Trade]…

R-CALF USA STATEMENT ON SECRETARY PERDUE’S DECISION TO HALT IMPORTS OF FRESH BRAZILIAN BEEF

Billings, Mont. – R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard issued the following statement following Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue’s announcement that he is halting imports of fresh Brazilian beef. June 22nd, 2017 [R-CALF USA] “We applaud Secretary Perdue’s decision to halt imports of fresh Brazilian beef but we question why the Secretary did not also halt imports of…