ROCKEFELLER, CRAIG PROTECT U.S. TRADE LAWS
-Introduce Resolution to Push U.S. Negotiators Not to Weaken U.S. Trade Laws that Help Protect West Virginia Companies and Jobs -
Senators Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) and Larry Craig (R-ID) have joined together to introduce a bi-partisan resolution today to help make sure that U.S. trade negotiators do not weaken U.S. trade laws in the upcoming Doha round of World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations this fall. Part of this round will include negotiations between nations on anti-dumping measures and countervailing duties. Several nations see these international negotiations as an opportunity to press for a relaxation of U.S. laws on anti-dumping and countervailing duties, which protect domestic producers from unfair trade practices.
"America's trade laws were put in place to make sure that our domestic industries can fully compete on fair terms," said Rockefeller. "In West Virginia, we know first-hand the importance of trade laws like antidumping and countervailing duties -- these laws help level the playing field between domestic and international businesses, so that we can keep companies and jobs in our state. With this legislation, we are saying that any Doha agreement that diminishes our trade laws would be unacceptable. We hope that negotiators will hear that message loud and clear."
"Foreign trade is important to Idaho producers seeking to expand markets overseas and remain globally competitive," Craig said. "However, some nations have a track record of using trade agreements to weaken international rules against dumping and subsidies and then flooding our markets with subsidized goods. Our trade laws provide our high tech industry, farmers, ranchers and manufacturers with ways to combat these sorts of manipulation and maintain their livelihoods. We should not bargain these away and abandon our producers to contend with the deep pockets of government-subsidized competitors."
Although non-binding, the resolution, with 27 cosponsors, serves as a guideline to U.S. trade negotiators as to what Senators will or will not accept in future trade agreements that come before Congress. Senator Robert C. Byrd (D-WV) is a co-sponsor of the resolution.
http://rockefeller.senate.gov/news/2005/pr092905b.html