Congress gets ?incomplete? grade on trade

Congress gets æincompleteÆ grade on trade    The National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) and USA*Engage Monday released their 111th Congressional Report Card, scoring Capitol Hill lawmakers based on their votes on key international trade and tax policy issues in 2009 and 2010.
   Unlike previous years, all members of the 111th Congress received an 'incomplete' on the report card versus letter grades, due to their 'collective lack of positive action' on trade and tax issues crucial to U.S. economic growth and job creation.
   'With just five votes to analyze in the House and even fewer in the Senate — only two — it is difficult to assess members on their records,' said NFTC President and USA*Engage Co-Chair Bill Reinsch, in a statement.

Reinsch

   'At a time when the U.S. is continuing to experience record unemployment, and the economy, though rebounding, is doing so at a slow pace, it is hard to grapple with the reality that this Congress has not successfully passed trade-related legislation that would help to boost U.S. economic growth, increase exports and create jobs,' Reinsch said.
   The report card scored senators on two votes, including:
   ' S. AMDT. 634, a proposed amendment to H.R. 1105 to prohibit the expenditure of amounts made available under this act in a contract with any company that has a business presence in Iran’s energy sector.
   ' S. 3816, Creating American Jobs and Ending Offshoring Act. The bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to create American jobs and to prevent the off shoring of such jobs overseas, was a back door way to end deferral for many companies.
   The highest scorers in the Senate, according to the trade groups, were Sens. Max Baucus, D-Mont.; Scott Brown, R-Mass.; Bob Corker, R-Tenn.; Richard Lugar, R-Ind.; Jon Tester, D-Mont.; and Mark Warner, D-Va.
   In the House, votes on the following pieces of legislation were considered:
   ' H.R. 1886, Pakistan Enduring Assistance and Cooperation Enhancement Act of 2009.
   ' H.R. 2194, Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability and Divestment Act of 2010.
   ' H.R. 4380, Miscellaneous Tariff Bill (Manufacturing Enhancement Act).
   ' H.R. 1586, FAA Air Transportation Modernization and Safety Improvement Act. This bill increases Medicare funding to states by using international tax provisions.
   ' H.R.2378, Currency Reform for Fair Trade Act.
   The trade groups noted that that 'top scorers' in the House were Reps. Ron Paul, R-Texas; Ted Poe, R-Texas; Tom Price, R-Ga.; David Reichert, R-Wash.; and John Shadegg, R-Ariz.
   'In college, an 'incomplete' is typically given to students who have failed to complete required coursework but show promise of being able to complete it within a designated timeframe,' Reinsch said. 'That is how we view this Congress, as we are deeply disappointed but hopeful that when Congress returns to Washington after the election, it will take meaningful action on the U.S. trade agenda and avoid further growth-damaging tax legislation.
   'The first three items on that agenda should be approval of trade agreements with Colombia, Panama and South Korea, which can't afford to sit on the backburner any longer if our exporters are to remain competitive in those markets,' he added. ' Chris Gillis