USTR

After a Wednesday meeting with U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, House Ways & Means Chairman Richard Neal (D-MA) praised the “goodwill in the room” but said USTR’s proposal to address Democrats’ concerns with the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement still had a “ways to go.”

A public hearing will be held on June 17.

U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer this week showed a new “willingness” to address the Democrats' concerns with the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, according to Rep. Pramila Jayapal (WA), co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, which met with the USTR on Thursday.  

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and other Democrats are continuing to engage with the administration about their concerns with the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, but an accord on how -- or if -- to proceed toward a vote remains far from certain, lawmakers said this week.

“Things that are unfavourable to us, no matter how you ask, we will not take any step back. Do not even think about it.”

President Trump on Sunday promised to impose 25 percent tariffs on the $325 billion worth of Chinese goods that have not yet been subject to U.S. tariffs and said he would raise 10 percent tariffs on $200 billion worth of goods to 25 percent late this week.

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative will soon launch an exclusion process for a third set of Section 301 tariffs on Chinese goods, USTR Robert Lighthizer told Congress this week.

“Exactly what labor leaders in the United States and Mexico have sought for decades.”

Drug-pricing policies in Japan, Korea, Canada and elsewhere are undermining innovation and curbing market access, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative says in its annual Special 301 report on the intellectual property practices of U.S. trading partners.