H.R. 6538
Bill Status
Introduced in the House. Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means (09/28/2012)
Short Summary
H.R. 6538, the Economic Freedom Alliance Act, is a package of trade related measures with both economic and foreign policy objectives. The premise of the plan is that current U.S. foreign policy has failed to achieve its lofty goals. Whether we are examining President Obama’s “lead from behind” approach or the past Administration’s focus on military intervention, we can conclude with certainty that we are less secure today.
Our economy is stagnant and our global allies have been left questioning American leadership. We need to try something different. To achieve our economic and national security objectives, we must leverage the powerful interplay of economic freedom, human rights, and political freedom. Replacing nation building with a focus on forming and growing a global economic-freedom is essential to our survival. The Economic Freedom Alliance Act details how we must move forward to end the twin threats of America’s economic stagnation and our failure to provide global leadership.
Bill Text
The Economic Freedom Alliance Act (H.R. 6538)
Major Components
Transatlantic Commerce and Trade Act (H.R. 6536)
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Explanatory Document (download PDF format)
US-Brazil Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade Act (H.R. 6539)
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Explanatory Document (download PDF format)
Generalized System of Preferences Improvment Act (H.R 6537)
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Explanatory Document (download PDF format)
Agriculture Trade Facilitation Act (H.R. 2707)
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Explanatory Document (download PDF format)
In the News
Heritage Foundation (link to Heritage website)
U.S. Foreign Policy Should Advance Economic Freedom
In his recent commentary, Congressman Devin Nunes (R–CA) penned a bold foreign policy idea that is based on advancing economic freedom:
It’s time to try a new approach to foreign policy—creating an alliance of free-trading nations.… This alliance of free-trading nations will welcome any nation that wants close relations with the United States, setting clear, universal criteria for our friendship: a commitment to free trade and the rule of law. It will encourage a host of potential allies to embrace economic freedom and engage in mutually beneficial commerce.… To guide America toward this new partnership, I have introduced in Congress the Economic Freedom Alliance Act.
In fact, The Heritage Foundation has long advocated the formation of such an economic-freedom-based alliance, which would require America’s strong leadership. For example, in his book Liberty’s Best Hope: American Leadership for the 21st Century, Heritage Foundation Vice President Kim Holmes highlighted the need to build coalitions of countries that are committed to economic freedom. He has suggested a common alliance of liberty through a “Global Economic Freedom Forum” and a “Liberty Forum for Human Rights” that would enshrine the powerful interplay of economic freedom, human rights, and political freedom (continued).
National Review Online - Nunes Opinion-Editorial (link to NRO website)
The Economic Freedom Alliance Act: We need a new foreign-policy approach that centers on free trade.
Amid today’s historic changes, America’s foreign policy is incoherent and adrift, lacking clear criteria even for distinguishing friend from foe. For some time, America assumed that democracies were our natural allies. However, as governments in Venezuela, the Gaza Strip, Russia, Egypt, and elsewhere attest, democracies can be unfriendly and even hostile to the United States. Thus, it’s time to try a new approach to foreign policy — creating an alliance of free-trading nations (continued).
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