U.S. businesses urged to promote trade

U.S. businesses urged to promote trade

Camp

   The ranking member of the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee urged business owners and managers attending the National Foreign Trade Council’s annual dinner in Washington on Wednesday to talk to their employees about the benefits of trade.
   'Instead of capitalizing on trade opportunities to turn our sluggish economy around and create vital American jobs, too many are capitalizing on a weak economy to spread fear about trade agreements and international commerce in hopes of turning around their political careers,' said Rep. Dave Camp, R-Mich.
   'The business community cannot afford to sit by and watch trade issues get demagogued on the campaign trail,' he added. 'The essential fact is that if you lose the political fight in the 50 states, you will never win the policy fights in Washington.'
   Camp further outlined some of the top priorities of his trade agenda, which include:
   ' Complete the South Korea trade agreement by the end of the year.
   ' Finish the 'languishing' Colombia and Panama agreements within six months.
   ' Employ a robust and “multipronged” strategy to deal with China's trade abuses, including pursuit of World Trade Organization violations when they occur and the resuscitation of the bilateral investment treaty negotiations.
   ' Actively engage new trading partners to prevent the European Union and others from getting a leg up on American made goods and services.