U.S. Chamber Urges Congress to Quickly Grant Trade Promotion Authority

Washington, DC-The U. S. Chamber of Commerce today urged Congress to quickly grant Trade Promotion Authority for the President - a move that would significantly help small businesses compete internationally.

"The President must have Trade Promotion Authority this year in order to advance the interests of this country's businesses and workers," said Thomas Donohue, Chamber President and CEO. "We have an opportunity to cement our leadership role on trade, significantly help small businesses compete globally, and protect our national interests."

The Chamber supports efforts by Phil Crane, Chairman of the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on Trade, to provide critically needed trade negotiating authority unencumbered by non-trade related labor and environmental provisions enforced by trade sanctions. The Chamber will work with both Democrats and Republicans in Congress to develop a bipartisan consensus on TPA.

Without trade promotion authority, the United States is rapidly losing its edge on free trade agreements to its competitors. With more than 130 regional free trade agreements in force world wide, the United States is party to just two.

"Our companies, workers and farmers cannot compete and win in the global marketplace if Congress does not grant this authority," Donohue continued. "Our trading partners will not negotiate agreements with the United States which are subject to change by the Congress after the deal is done."

Granting Trade Promotion Authority to the President is one of the Chamber's top priorities. Through its well-established grassroots network - TradeRoots - the Chamber is mobilizing thousands of small businesses and their employees that are losing out on critical trade agreements. A growing number of small-to-mid-sized companies are expanding their overseas trading, and TradeRoots has been a powerful tool for educating local and state-level communities about the opportunities in bringing their products to international markets.

The U.S. Chamber is the world's largest business federation representing more than three million businesses and organizations of every size, sector and region.

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