Source: United States Senator for Delaware Christopher Coons
WASHINGTON – In case you missed it, U.S. Senator Chris Coons (D-Del.) and U.S. Senator Rob Portman (R-Ohio) published an op-ed in The Hill last week that outlines a new bipartisan trade proposal and calls on Congress to pass it before the end of the year. While Congress has taken significant bipartisan strides this Congress, members have been unable to make progress on trade policy. Passing several policies that have historically drawn broad bipartisan support will strengthen American competitiveness and support American workers.
The Hill: A bipartisan trade proposal to support our economy
Over the past two years, Congress has delivered bipartisan results to invest in American competitiveness and strengthen our communities.
Last year, Congress passed the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act to rebuild American roads and bridges, invest in American manufacturing, and expand internet access in underserved areas. And just a few months ago, Congress passed the Chips and Science Act to bring more semiconductor manufacturing back to the United States and invest in basic science and technology research. These key acts demonstrated that we can solve some of our biggest challenges by working across the aisle.
However, this Congress has been unable to reach agreement on one important topic: international trade. The cost of inaction has been high.
China has moved swiftly to expand its trading relationships in the Indo-Pacific with its Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership trade agreement, and U.S. allies have moved forward without us in implementing their own version of the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Twenty years ago, the United States was the top trading partner for most countries in the world. Today, a map of trade flows would show the United States eclipsed by China as almost every country’s top trading partner.
Faced with this reality, both the House and the Senate have passed some trade legislation, but Congress has sent nothing to the president’s desk. The consequences of failing to open new markets for U.S. exporters, help workers hurt by trade, fight unfair trade practices, and reauthorize expiring trade benefit programs all adds up to two things: fewer good jobs for American workers and weakened U.S. influence around the world.
That’s why we’re outlining a bipartisan trade proposal that Congress should pass this month.
The full op-ed is available here.
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