Trade and Exports

As a senior Member of the House Ways and Means Committee, I am constantly working to ensure that our trade policy helps both American workers and businesses compete in a global economy.

It is our duty to make sure that there is a fair, level playing field, but we must also ensure that our trade policy seeks to establish better standards and is not a race to the bottom.  Presently, the U.S. has free trade agreements (FTAs) with over 20 countries.  Each FTA must be reviewed on its own merit.  In each case, however, labor, human rights, environmental standards, access to medicines, and rule of law, must be upheld at all costs. 

A key to our economic recovery is ensuring that American-made products and services competitive with global competitors.  I support legislation which –

• Renews Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) programs which help workers, who lost their jobs due to global trade become retrained and gainfully employed.  
• Encourage manufacturers to create jobs here in the U.S. and not to outsource services which American workers are ready and able to perform; and
• Levels the playing field with countries who manipulate their currency.

These simple actions alone would create 1 million American jobs.  Every innovative solution to help create jobs here in the U.S. should be a top priority of policymakers. Increasing U.S. exports is also an important part of our economic recovery process.  The federal government has several agencies and programs which help American businesses compete and succeed in a challenging global economy.