CPA Honors Three American Trade Heroes at Annual Conference

The three award recipients were US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, US Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and US Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL). According to CPA Chairman Dan DiMicco, Ambassador Lighthizer was honored for his fight to improve America’s trading relationship with China as well as negotiating new, improved trade deals with South Korea as well as Mexico and Canada. Senator Baldwin and Senator Rubio were recognized for leading the fight in Congress to modify US trading relationships in order to improve wages and opportunities for US workers, families, and communities.

CPA Chairman Dan DiMicco (L) gives Ambassador Robert Lighthizer the CPA American Trade Hero Award 2019.

Senator Tammy Baldwin

Senator Marco Rubio

“These three leaders have done great work in championing the cause of the US economy and US national security by fighting for a realignment of our broken trade model and aggressive action to fix trade and strengthen the US economy. This is a fight that should have no party or ideological boundaries because it affects all Americans,” said CPA Chairman DiMicco.

In receiving the awards, Ambassador Lighthizer highlighted recent efforts to renegotiate America’s relationship with China, citing his close relationship with, and support from, President Trump. Sen. Baldwin spoke of the importance of getting the  US dollar to a competitive level to help manufacturing, industry, and farmers regain competitiveness and prosperity on the world stage. In a 30-minute speech, Sen. Rubio described his upbringing as the son of a Cuban immigrant bartender, and said that America’s lack of competitiveness and loss of respect for the “dignity of work” were closing off opportunities for today’s workers and their children to realize the American Dream.

CPA is a bipartisan coalition of manufacturers, labor unions, and agricultural groups dedicated to fixing US trade, rebuild manufacturing, restore the economic position of the family farmer, and put the US economy back on track toward steady growth in real incomes that can benefit all Americans.

The 2019 Annual Trade Conference was CPA’s biggest conference yet, with more than 75 members attending from across the US. Other notable speakers included Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-NJ), economist and CPA Advisory Board member Dan Alpert, Teamsters Union trade expert Michael Dolan, R-CALF CEO Bill Bullard, and leading manufacturers Roddy Dowd of Charlotte Pipe, Zach Mottl of Atlas Tool, and Paul Wellborn of Wellborn Capital.

Following the speaking events, CPA members fanned out to visit members of Congress and press for action to eliminate the long-running US trade deficit, move the US dollar to a level that would make the US competitive with other nations, and advocate for other measures to improve the US economy.

CPA Chief Economist Jeff Ferry presents on CPA Competitive Dollar Economic Model in Longworth House Office Building.