White House still hoping for FTAs before recess
U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk told agriculture leaders today that the Obama administration hopes Congress will approve the three pending free trade agreements and reauthorize trade adjustment assistance before the August recess.
In a speech to the Agribusiness Club of Washington, Kirk said that he believes the Senate Finance Committee-passed Korea free trade agreement that incorporates trade adjustment assistance is the best way proceed.
Republican congressional leaders have objected to the inclusion of TAA in the Korea package. Trade lobbyists have been speculating that there may be some legislative way to separate the two votes in the House and combine the bill in the Senate.
House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp, R-Mich., worked with the Obama administration to craft an acceptable package of the agreements and TAA, but Camp and the administration did not agree on a way to proceed on Capitol Hill.
Isi Siddiqui, the chief U.S. agriculture negotiator, also told the American Soybean Association today that “it is imperative to advance the trade agenda,” but that the administration is “equally committed to TAA.”
Asked about the Doha round of multilateral negotiations, Siddiqui said that the United States will insist on increased market access for agriculture, manufacturing and services in emerging markets in any Doha round agreement, even if it is a small agreement. Siddiqui did not name the emerging markets, but they are generally regarded as Brazil, Russia, India and China.
Siddiqui also said that there had been “more intense activity earlier this year” on the Doha round than at present.
In a speech to the Agribusiness Club of Washington, Kirk said that he believes the Senate Finance Committee-passed Korea free trade agreement that incorporates trade adjustment assistance is the best way proceed.
Republican congressional leaders have objected to the inclusion of TAA in the Korea package. Trade lobbyists have been speculating that there may be some legislative way to separate the two votes in the House and combine the bill in the Senate.
House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp, R-Mich., worked with the Obama administration to craft an acceptable package of the agreements and TAA, but Camp and the administration did not agree on a way to proceed on Capitol Hill.
Isi Siddiqui, the chief U.S. agriculture negotiator, also told the American Soybean Association today that “it is imperative to advance the trade agenda,” but that the administration is “equally committed to TAA.”
Asked about the Doha round of multilateral negotiations, Siddiqui said that the United States will insist on increased market access for agriculture, manufacturing and services in emerging markets in any Doha round agreement, even if it is a small agreement. Siddiqui did not name the emerging markets, but they are generally regarded as Brazil, Russia, India and China.
Siddiqui also said that there had been “more intense activity earlier this year” on the Doha round than at present.
