CONTACTS: Linda Rozett/Eric Wohlschlegel
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Thursday, May 23, 2002
U.S. Chamber Urges Final Trade Bill Reforms in Conference, Recognizes Senate's Bipartisan Work on TPA Bill
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The United States Chamber of Commerce complimented the Senate’s bipartisan effort to pass trade promotion authority today -- after weeks of intense bargaining -- despite the flaws that remained in the final bill.
“We congratulate those members of the Senate who recognized the need to restore America’s leadership role in the world trading system,” said Thomas J. Donohue, Chamber president and CEO. “Lawmakers realized that we cannot sit on our hands while our allies are out negotiating free trade deals. Since TPA expired in 1994, our competitors have negotiated over 150 free trade agreements while the U.S. has completed only three.”
Without TPA, American companies must manufacture their products in the foreign countries they want to reach -- or face high tariffs on their products made here at home. Large firms have the resources to do this, but small companies do not.
The Chamber has focused attention and built support for passage of TPA -- which Congress has granted to every president since 1974 -- through a variety of efforts, including: lobbying on Capitol Hill and in local districts, trade education events, plant tours, and advertising.
During debate over trade promotion authority, the Senate passed several amendments that would undermine the trade negotiation process and tie the hands of U.S. negotiators. The Chamber supports the House-passed bill, which does not include language to expand non-trade related programs.
“The Senate bill may not be perfect, but it doesn’t have to be,” said Donohue. “The purpose of a good conference is to find common ground and get rid of the extras.”
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world’s largest business federation representing more than three million businesses and organizations of every size, sector and region.
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