Wyden, Crapo, and 16 Bipartisan Senators Call on President Biden to Stop Rushing Trade Negotiations Behind Closed Doors
“Trade policy works best for all Americans when all Americans—and their elected representatives in Congress—have a say in its development.”
Washington, D.C. – Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Chairman Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, and Senators Tim Kaine, D-Va., Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., Michael Bennet, D-Colo., Thom Tillis, R-N.C., Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev., Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, Alex Padilla, D-Calif., Bill Cassidy, R-La., Chris Coons, D-Del., Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., Mark Warner, D-Va., Katie Britt, R-Ala., Steve Daines, R-Mont., Todd Young, R-Ind., John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Roger Marshall, R-Kan., called on the Biden administration to stop rushing trade negotiations behind closed doors. The United States Trade Representative (USTR) is attempting to change at least three major trade agreements in secret, while sacrificing valuable leverage that USTR could use to win concessions from trading partners that would benefit Americans.
USTR is seeking changes to the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), the United States-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement, and the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) by the end of the presidential term.
“Unfortunately, USTR is pursuing substantive changes to congressionally approved trade agreements on an abbreviated timeline, out of the view of the public, and without meaningful congressional consultation,” the senators wrote, in a letter to President Biden. “USTR did not consult with, or even notify, Congress before drafting these interpretations and seeking approval by the Executive Branch agencies.”
The senators warned that making concessions to trading partners would sacrifice leverage to make progress on a number of U.S. priorities. In USMCA negotiations, for example, USTR should use any available leverage to address Mexico’s illegal fishing practices and energy laws that favor Mexican fossil fuels over American clean energy, as well as Canada’s unfair dairy policies and taxes on digital services. USTR should also push to resolve the United States’ many outstanding concerns with Colombia, including labor standards and workers’ rights, corn and dairy market access, and auto regulations.
The senators continued, “Robust consultations with Congress and stakeholders would help USTR ensure that its engagements help Americans get what they were promised under U.S. trade agreements. To put it simply, trade policy is too important to keep Americans in the dark. We urge you to direct USTR to refrain from further negotiating text proposals with foreign trading partners unless and until meaningful consultations with Congress and stakeholders have occurred.”
Wyden and Crapo have repeatedly called on USTR to make trade agreements more transparent by working closely with Congress. In November 2023, then-Chairman Wyden and then-Ranking Member Crapo called on the White House to engage in comprehensive consultations to ensure that U.S. digital trade policy combats the repressive policies of Russia and China and promotes open markets for digital goods exported by American creators and businesses. In January 2022, Wyden and Crapo called on the Biden administration to enforce USMCA and hold Canada and Mexico to their commitments that were intended to benefit American workers, farmers, and businesses.
The letter text is here.
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