[CTC] USTR Statement on Japan

[Arthur Stamoulis]

Press Release
For Immediate Release
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Contact: Meghan Dubyak/Yianni Varonis
(202) 224-3978

IN TRANS-PACIFIC TRADE TALKS, SEN. BROWN URGES ADMINISTRATION TO  
ENSURE STRONG RULES ON STATE-OWNED ENTERPRISES

Brown and Six Senators Urge U.S Trade Representative to Craft  
Disciplinary Language in Trans-Pacific Partnership Negotiations for  
State-Owned Enterprises That Put Foreign Government Priorities Above  
Free and Fair Trade

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) led a  
group of seven Senators in urging Acting United States Trade  
Representative Demetrios Marantis to craft disciplinary language in  
the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations for actions taken by  
state-owned enterprises that discriminate and distort free markets.  
Failing to craft disciplinary language for these actions, Brown and  
his colleagues argued, would hurt the American economy and its workers  
and businesses by adversely affecting the United States’ ability to  
fairly compete in foreign markets as new nations enter the TPP.

“We cannot allow state-owned enterprises to get away with unfair trade  
practices that promote the interests of a foreign government at the  
expense of American workers and businesses,” Brown said. “By  
disciplining these actions, we can promote free and fair trade, and  
American economic interests both home and abroad.”

Brown’s letter can be read in its entirety HERE.

The TPP is a proposed trade agreement that currently includes the  
United States, Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Chile, Malaysia, New  
Zealand, Peru, Singapore, Vietnam, Canada, and Mexico. Last month,  
Japan expressed its intent to join the TPP. Congress has the  
constitutional authority to set the terms of trade and commerce with  
foreign nations. The Administration is conducting the TPP talks using  
authority which officially lapsed in 2007, suggesting it will seek  
renewed Trade Promotion Authority, known as “Fast Track,” to conclude  
TPP negotiations, as well as other trade initiatives.

Brown has long been an opponent of NAFTA-style agreements that  
undermine American workers and businesses. Last month Brown, U.S.  
Senator Carl Levin (D-MI), and U.S. Representative Sander Levin  
(MI-9), led a group of 49 of their colleagues in urging President  
Obama to put the best interests of American workers and businesses  
first as negotiations continued with Japan on its potential entry to  
the TPP. Brown and his colleagues specifically cited Japan’s  
longstanding efforts to impose trade barriers and block U.S. exports  
as actions that have hurt the American economy, domestic job creation,  
and specifically its auto-industry.

In June 2012, Brown introduced the 21st Century Trade Agreements and  
Market Access Act that would have restored Congressional oversight to  
trade negotiations and ensure that American trading partners play by  
the same rules as the U.S. Brown announced the bill’s introduction  
with business and labor leaders including James P. Hoffa, president of  
the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, and Ford Vice President of  
International Government Affairs Stephen Biegun, each of whom  
discussed the need to prioritize support for American manufacturing in  
the TPP.

In November 2011, Brown sent a letter to President Obama raising  
concerns over the existing automotive trade deficit with Japan and  
seeking more support for American manufacturing in the TPP. In the  
letter, Brown requested that the President address a variety of  
discriminatory policies before allowing Japan to join the TPP,  
including nontariff barriers and currency manipulation. Brown noted  
that Japan has instituted a variety of policies that have made it  
difficult for American and foreign automakers to gain a foothold in  
the Japanese market.

In October 2011 Brown sent a letter urging President Obama to change  
course in trade policy and rewrite trade rules to put Ohio jobs and  
Ohio workers first. He led the House opposition to the Dominican  
Republic – Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) negotiated by  
the Bush Administration in 2005, falling just two votes shy of  
blocking the agreement after the vote was held open for nearly two  
hours. The author of the book Myths of Free Trade and described as  
“Congress’ leading proponent of American manufacturing,” Brown also  
stood up to President Clinton during debate of NAFTA in 1993.


###

Arthur Stamoulis
Citizens Trade Campaign
(202) 494-8826




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