Trade is a hot topic on Capitol Hill this year. President Obama has asked members of Congress for “fast track” trade promotion authority in order to finalize proposed trade deals with Asia and Europe that set the stage for growing, trade-related job displacement. [Reposted from the Economic Policy Institute blog | Robert Scott | February…
Trade agreements give rise to international tribunals and suits by foreign companies against US local and state governments. Governor Jay Inslee of Washington state is joining the clamor against the global court system being set up by trade treaties. Washington state often brags about being the most export dependent state in the country. While…
A guest editorial from Stan Sorscher of SPEEA, who sits on the Board of the Coalition for a Prosperous America. A new trade agreement, the Trans-Pacific Partnership, has been negotiated in secrecy with the involvement of hundreds of corporate lobbyists while Congress and the public are unable to get or discuss copies of the deal,…
The United States is challenging China at the World Trade Organization, alleging that the Chinese government unfairly subsidizes exports in seven industries. [Reposted from the ABC News site | February 11, 2015 | Paul Wiseman] The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative said Wednesday that China designates certain export companies as “demonstration bases” that receive…
Sens. Brown, Sessions, Schumer, Graham, and Stabenow to Introduce the Currency Exchange Rate Oversight Reform Act of 2015. Addressing Currency Manipulation Could Create Nearly Six Million Jobs by Leveling the Playing Field for American Manufacturers and Workers. [Reposted from Senator Sherrod Brown’s website | February 9, 2015] WASHINGTON, D.C. — As Congress prepares to review…
WASHINGTON – Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Sander Levin (D-MI) joined Reps. Tim Murphy (R-PA), Tim Ryan (D-OH) and Mo Brooks (R-AL) today in introducing legislation to hold currency manipulators accountable. The Currency Reform for Fair Trade Act takes aim at currency manipulators by enabling the Department of Commerce to impose countervailing duties to…
WASHINGTON — The United States trade deficit in December widened sharply to its highest level since 2012 as a stronger dollar appeared to suck in imports and weigh on exports. [Reposted from Reuters | February 5, 2015] The Commerce Department said on Thursday that the trade deficit jumped 17.1 percent to $46.6 billion, the largest…
Trans-Pacific Partnership Barely Noticed By Weeknight News Over The Past 18 Months Weeknight television news programs have given little attention to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a sweeping trade agreement between the United States, Canada, and 10 nations from the Asia-Pacific region. Although the nations involved in the negotiations create a huge amount of economic activity,…
WASHINGTON — An odd marriage of convenience between liberal Democrats and Tea Party Republicans is squeezing President Obama on his ambitious trade agenda, forcing the White House and top Republicans to fight a two-front war on an international economic effort the president hopes to secure before he leaves office. [Reposted from The New York Times …
Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution states: “The Congress shall have the power…to regulate commerce with foreign nations,” among other duties and responsibilities. [Reposted from Mesquite Local News | Frank Shannon | January 28, 2015] Fast Track/Trade Promotion Authority is being sought by President Obama as a means of passing new trade agreements through…
