The Coalition for a Prosperous America (CPA) appreciates the opportunity to provide testimony to the US Department of Commerce regarding the impact of significant bilateral deficits on the US economy. CPA is a national, non-partisan organization focusing upon improving American trade performance, eliminating our persistent trade deficit, and growing domestic supply chains as a means…

HANOI — U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, at his first public appearance here during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation trade ministers meeting, said the U.S. defending its own market against unfair trade practices should not be confused with protectionism — the definition of which, he claims, “is sort of migrating.” [Jenny Leonard] May 21st, 2017 [Inside…

In a stormy first foray abroad for Robert Lighthizer, the new U.S. Trade Representative disagreed over protectionism with Asian and Pacific countries that look skeptically at the Trump administration’s “fair trade” agenda. [A. Ananthalakshmi and My Pham] May 21st, 2017 [Reuters] With the United States on one side and the 20 other members of the Asia Pacific…

If the United States allows some of China’s largest producers of freight rail cars into the country, they could end up eliminating up to 65,000 U.S. jobs, according to a study released Monday. [Evelyn Cheng] May 15th, 2017 [CNBC] “The pace of globalization and the arrival of entrants from countries such as China into the U.S. market,…

The European Court of Justice on May 16 issued its long-anticipated ruling in its review of the EU-Singapore free trade agreement, finding that the deal — as well as subsequent EU-negotiated agreements that contain investor protections — must be approved by a consensus of member state national parliaments. [Brett Fortnam] May 16th, 2017 [Inside Trade]…

U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer took office on Monday promising to help President Trump “permanently” reverse what he described as America’s “dangerous” trade policies. [Jenny Leonard & Dan Dupont] May 15th, 2017 [Inside Trade] At his swearing-in ceremony, Lighthizer said he was “grateful to have been asked by the president to serve him on this very…

Robert Lighthizer, slated to be sworn in as U.S. Trade Representative on Monday afternoon, will have a busy first week in office, meeting with congressional committees of jurisdiction to discuss the administration’s negotiating objectives for NAFTA and traveling to the two-day APEC trade ministers meeting in Vietnam, sources told Inside U.S. Trade. [Jenny Leonard] May 14th,…

By Jeff Ferry, CPA Research Director On May 4th, Professor William J. Baumol died at the age of 95. He was a prodigious writer and innovator in economic theory, author of some 500 papers over the more than half a century he taught at Princeton University and NYU.  At least once, he was reportedly on…

Agreements covering beef, poultry and financial services reverse stances held by the Obama administration and sidestep touchier issues such as steel. [KEITH BRADSHER] May 11th, 2017 [The New York Times] BEIJING — The United States has reached a set of trade deals with China covering areas like electronic payment services, beef and poultry, compromising on…