Baucus Comments on President’s 2010 Trade Agenda

Finance Chairman pledges legislative support for plan to double U.S. exports, support American job creation

Washington, DC - Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) commended the 2010 Trade Agenda President Obama announced today but urged the United States Trade Representative (USTR) and the Administration to put into action a plan to achieve the President’s goal of doubling U.S.exports within five years. Baucus will hold a Finance Committee hearing Wednesday to discuss the trade agenda with USTR Ron Kirk.

“With unemployment reaching 10 percent, it is more imperative than ever that we open new markets for American ranchers, farmers, manufacturers and small businesses to sell their world-class goods. New markets will increase exports and support millions of good-paying jobs in Montana and across America,” said Baucus. “We must also work to enforce our current trade agreements to ensure American businesses have the support they need to compete in the global economy. I urge the President to implement trade policies that support job growth and look forward to working with the Administration to ensure it has the tools it needs to implement a robust trade agenda that is essential to our economic recovery.”

Baucus has long fought for a robust trade agenda that supports American job creation through strongenforcement of our current agreements and an aggressive pursuit of new markets. In January, he and Senator Snowe urged the USTR to place special emphasis on small businesses and called on the agencyto appoint a high-level position to promote small business trade-related interests. Jim Sanford wasappointed Assistant USTR for Small Business, Market Access, and Industrial Competitiveness in Januaryand testified before the Finance Committee in February.

Baucus urged the Administration to resolve the outstanding issues that have delayed action on the three pending Free Trade Agreements with South Korea, Panama and Colombia. He applauded theAdministration’s commitment to using all available tools to dismantle barriers to U.S. exports in Chinaand other key markets, including through the World Trade Organization Doha negotiations. And heexpressed support for the Administration’s commitment to negotiate the Trans-Pacific PartnershipAgreement, which he has long championed.

The Senate Finance Committee’s jurisdiction includes international trade. For more information on Wednesday’s hearing with USTR Kirk, visit the Finance Committee website at:http://finance.senate.gov/

###

• Print
• Email
• Tweet