Congressman Sander Levin

Trade

As Chair of the Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee this year, I am working to dramatically change U.S. trade policy.  I believe that U.S. businesses and workers can compete in the global marketplace if the playing field is level, the rules of competition are fair, and unfair barriers to our products are knocked down.

I believe we must use trade to shape globalization so that we maximize its benefits and minimize its downsides.  For example, we must include worker rights and environmental standards in trade agreements.  Democrats have been fighting for this for over ten years and this year for the first time we forced the Bush Administration to re-negotiate the Peru Free Trade Agreement to fully include these provisions.  Click here to review a summary of the revised Peru Free Trade Agreement which represents the first steps in a new trade policy.

I also am working to ensure that we strengthen the enforcement of existing agreements and take steps to make sure that we utilize U.S. trade laws to seek remedies when the unfair trading practices of other countries are harming U.S. businesses and workers. I recently introduced trade enforcement legislation to ensure that U.S. workers, farmers, and businesses are getting a fair shake in the global marketplace and that U.S. consumers have confidence that the products they buy are safe. Specifically, H.R. 6530 will actively open markets by eliminating foreign barriers to U.S. goods and services exports, combat counterfeiting and piracy, restore rights under U.S. trade remedy laws and strengthen the U.S. ability to address unfair and illegal trade practices. Click here to read a summary of the legislation and click here to review an article that I wrote about the need for strong trade enforcement.

I am also seeking ways to confront new trade problems like currency manipulation.  When countries like Japan and China artificially keep the value of their currency low they hurt our businesses.  Experts estimate that Chinese imports have a 15-40% cost advantage because of the currency imbalance.  And, with Japan, Toyota said, "a weak yen, which boosts the value of overseas earnings, added 30 billion yen to the third quarter." It is calculated that this adds on average $4000 to its profits for a car shipped to the U.S. That flow increased by 500,000 last year as Toyota shipped more vehicles here last year than it made in the U.S.  Click here to read more.

At the same time, we fix our trade policy, we must also overhaul the programs that assist workers in transitioning to new and better jobs.  Click here to review a proposal to improve the Trade Adjustment Assistance program. 

• Trade and Globalization Assistance