House Ways and Means Committee to Hold Hearing on Trade Agenda

February 23, 2012

House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp (R-MI) has announced that the House Ways and Means Committee will hold a hearing on President Obama’s trade policy agenda and the future of U.S. trade negotiations on Wednesday, February 29, 2012. Witnesses will include U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk. The first hearing panel, including Ambassador Kirk, is expected to cover a wide variety of international trade issues such as: ensuring prompt implementation of the three free trade agreements with Colombia, Panama, and South Korea; (2) seeking to conclude a good Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement this year; (3) considering Russia’s WTO accession; (4) improving our important trade relationship with China and addressing China’s trade barriers; (5) addressing the Obama Administration’s trade agency reorganization proposal and the National Export Initiative; and ensuring appropriate trade enforcement efforts. The hearing is also expected to address areas of potential future trade negotiations such as: (1) advancing WTO negotiations, including “post-Doha” issues at the WTO such as an international services agreement, Information Technology Agreement expansion, and a trade facilitation agreement; (2) completing Bilateral Investment Treaties (BITs) with China and India, and exploring new BITs and investment opportunities; (3) deepening and expanding the trade and investment relationship with the European Union; and (4) establishing long-term, closer ties with important trading partners such as Latin America and India.

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