<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 44pt; font-family: CalistoMT, serif;" class="">Washington Trade Daily<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: CalistoMT, serif;" class="">Volume 25, Number 72 Monday, April 11, 2016<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: CalistoMT, serif;" class="">Trade Reports International Group<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><b class=""><i class=""><span style="font-size: 24pt; font-family: 'ArialMT,BoldItalic', sans-serif;" class="">TPP This Year<o:p class=""></o:p></span></i></b></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: CalistoMT, serif;" class="">A chorus of Administration officials on Friday expressed confidence President Obama can win<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: CalistoMT, serif;" class="">Congressional approval of the TransPacific Partnership before he leaves office (WTD, 4/8/16).<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: CalistoMT, serif;" class="">The Administration will be “relentless” in making the case for TPP, White House National<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: CalistoMT, serif;" class="">Economic Council Director Jeffrey Zients told the US Export-Import Bank’s annual conference. It is<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: CalistoMT, serif;" class="">critical to get TPP over the finish line this year and President Obama will be doing everything he can to<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: CalistoMT, serif;" class="">make sure it happens, he said.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: CalistoMT, serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: CalistoMT, serif;" class="">Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker agreed. “The President is all in” when it comes to TPP, she<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: CalistoMT, serif;" class="">said. He recognizes the importance of the trade deal to the US economy and to the US role in the<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: CalistoMT, serif;" class="">Asia-Pacific region. The commerce secretary described herself as optimistic that the TPP will be<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: CalistoMT, serif;" class="">approved, despite strong anti-trade and anti-TPP rhetoric in the Presidential campaigns.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: CalistoMT, serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: CalistoMT, serif;" class="">US Trade Representative Michael Froman said the level of anti-TPP rhetoric makes no sense<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: CalistoMT, serif;" class="">given that another 10 or so countries are already “knocking on the door” hoping to join because they<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: CalistoMT, serif;" class="">understand the economic value of the agreement. “We can’t build walls; we can’t be isolationist” and<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: CalistoMT, serif;" class="">have the kind of economic growth everyone wants, he said.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: CalistoMT, serif;" class=""> </span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: CalistoMT, serif;" class="">The USTR is continuing to work with Congressional leaders and the committees of jurisdiction<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: CalistoMT, serif;" class="">on outstanding issues in preparation for implementing legislation so that “whenever the window opens,<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: CalistoMT, serif;" class="">we’re ready to move.” Mr. Froman said he is spending a lot of time on Capitol Hill making sure<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: CalistoMT, serif;" class="">members understand how their constituents will benefits from TPP and how they will be hurt if it does<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: CalistoMT, serif;" class="">not pass. Lawmakers are concerned about the politics, but Mr. Froman said he believes, TPP will pass<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: CalistoMT, serif;" class="">because “the economics are absolutely compelling.”</span></div></body></html>