Trade
President Obama has set a goal to double exports by 2015 and I support that goal. Trade is an economic win and Chicago is uniquely positioned as a hub for global trade, from the companies of all sizes that produce products and services to those that transport the goods by truck, rail, and air.
There have been successes, including enacting free trade agreements with South Korea, Colombia, and Panama, but there is more to be done. There are efforts underway, with bipartisan support, to negotiate a free trade agreement with 10 Pacific Rim countries, a renewed trade partnership with the European Union, and other agreements for sectors such as services and information technology. As a member of the Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee, we are working on a bipartisan basis to ensure high-quality agreements that will create jobs and grow the U.S. economy.
More on Trade
Press Release:
Excerpt: Washington, DC—Congressman Peter Roskam (IL-06) spoke on the House floor this morning in favor of H.R. 6156, the "Russia and Moldova Jackson-Vanik Repeal Act of 2012,” which will create greater export opportunities for Illinois manufacturers and business owners, by expanding the marketplace to include Russia and Moldova. The bill was passed with a vote of 365-43.
Press Release
Excerpt: "In suburban Chicago there is a company called Fellows Manufacturing. These are the folks behind the bankers boxes, shredding machines and so forth. Stellar reputation, 550 employees, and in a nutshell they eneterd into a joint venture in China in 2006, which went well for 3 years and then in 2009 it just devolved into a nightmare. The nightmare now has involved theft of their property, they’ve been locked out, and they’ve lost tools and it’s been dramatic, to say the least. They have now been involved in a Chinese court to try and seek justice and over the past year it's become increasingly murky. So my question – and your staff has again been really helpful on this – my question is: would you be willing to raise this? You know how this works, if the trade ambassador raises it, it has the imprimatur and you’re able to move the ball significantly based upon your personal attention. "
Press Release
Excerpt: "A corporation in my district, Fellowes Manufacturing, is involved in - essentially - a nightmare scenario with a joint venture that has gone south, and they have not been able to get the legal remedies that they deserve. I think it's a very, very serious example of manipulations on the part of some in China that are taking advantage of an incredibly significant manufacturer in the Chicago area."