Dozens of U.S. Companies, Business Leaders Sign Petition Urging Congress to Take Action
WASHINGTON — The Coalition for a Prosperous America (CPA) and the National Council of Textile Organizations (NCTO) today urged Senate and House Leadership to immediately revoke Most Favored Nation status or Normal Trade Relations (NTR) treatment for Russia in light of Russia’s illegal invasion of the sovereign, democratic nation of Ukraine.
Additionally, CPA released a petition signed by dozens of U.S. companies and business leaders in support of removing Russia from our “Permanent Normal Trade Relations” (PNTR) designation and raising tariffs on Putin. View the petition here.
The full text of CPA and NCTO’s letter is below.
Dear Majority Leader Schumer, Leader McConnell, Speaker Pelosi and Leader McCarthy:
Congress must immediately revoke Most Favored Nation status or Normal Trade Relations (NTR) treatment for products of the Russian Federation. Normal trade relations designation allows countries to receive low-tariff access to the U.S. market. Congress granted normal trade relations designation to the USSR in 1990 and granted Permanent Normal Trade Relations to the Russian Federation in 2012. Russia’s recent actions and invasion in Ukraine should cause Congress to act unanimously and immediately revoke Russia’s NTR designation.
There is past precedent for Congress revoking trade privileges. In 1992, Congress revoked NTR for Serbia and Montenegro as a result of their aggression in the wake of the breakup of Yugoslavia. Revoking NTR would eliminate the benefit and privilege Russia currently has as it relates to unfettered trade with the United States and would increase tariffs on Russian goods.
Dueling bipartisan bills have emerged in both the House and Senate – both Portman-Cardin and Brown- Cassidy/Blumenauer-Doggett – have necessary provisions that should be reconciled. This coalition supports the intent of those efforts. Specifically, we believe any final bill should include the following:
- Provisions to protect other WTO states and WTO members from future invasions;
- Limiting language to disallow the President from reinstating NTR status without congressional approval; and
- Inclusion of the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, which extends sanctions against violators of human rights and corrupt actors.
We applaud Congress for acting quickly to craft legislation and call for immediate passage of a bill that revokes NTR for Russia and accomplishes the three points mentioned above. Thank you.
Sincerely,
COALITION FOR A PROSPEROUS AMERICA
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF TEXTILE ORGANIZATIONS
