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For Immediate Release:
April 11, 2006

Rockefeller and Craig Call for Tougher Stance During Trade Talks

Senators Demand that Trade Negotiator Uphold American Trade Laws in Closing Weeks of Doha Round Negotiations

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Facing a critical deadline in World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations at the end of the month, Senator John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV (D-W.Va) and Senator Larry Craig (R-Idaho) called upon the U.S. Trade Representative, Ambassador Robert Portman, to pursue a strong and comprehensive negotiating strategy that will protect American jobs from unfair and illegal foreign trade practices such as dumping and illegal subsidies.

In a letter sent this week to Ambassador Portman, Rockefeller and Craig, who were joined by 12 of their Senate colleagues, expressed their concern over the lack of proposals advocated by U.S. negotiators during the Doha Round of negotiations, currently underway in Geneva. The Senators also called upon Portman to follow the clear position of the U.S. Senate and take a tougher stance during the trade talks to protect American interests. The Senate unanimously accepted an amendment by Craig and Rockefeller in November that expressed the sense of Congress that our trade laws must not be undermined in the current round of negotiations.

America's trade rivals have, so far, dominated the negotiations and have offered approximately 180 proposals that are detrimental to the U.S. economy. The Senators are concerned that American negotiators will be unable to address many of the significant grievances that affect the U.S. economy if they fail to pursue a comprehensive negotiating strategy during the final weeks of negotiations.

As the Senators wrote:

"The continued strength of the trade remedy laws is vital both to our ability to counteract unfair foreign competition and to the health of critical parts of the U.S. manufacturing and agricultural sectors.

"We believe that a more comprehensive strategy is needed now in Geneva to makes sure that these important laws are preserved and enhanced. We are now literally down to the final weeks when the U.S. can change the dynamics of these talks - this means putting forward a meaningful, affirmative agenda, right now."

The full text of the senators' letter to the Ambassador Portman is available here.

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