International Trade Policy Robert Hamilton IGPAC Chair U.S. - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

The Role of States in Monitoring and Communicating International Trade Policy

Robert Hamilton IGPAC Chair

U.S. Constitution

• Article I - grants Congress the power “to regulate Commerce

with foreign Nations” and to “... lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts, and excises....”

• Article II provides the President with exclusive authority to

negotiate treaties and international agreements and exercises broad authority over the conduct of the nation’s foreign affairs.

• Trade Promotion Authority (TPA): Compromise under which

negotiating authority has been periodically delegated to the Executive Branch under specified conditions.

Role of States

• Growing importance of international trade to national and state

economies

• Grown from 9% of U.S. GDP in 1960 to about 28% today
• NAFTA and Uruguay Round of GATT/WTO negotiations – early

1990s

Role of States, Cntd.

• State Point of Contact System
• Intergovernmental Advisory Committee (IGPAC)

Trade Policy Resources

U.S. Census (trade statistics) Washington Trade Daily United States Trade Representative BNA- International Trade Daily U.S. International Trade Commission Inside U.S. Trade U.S. Department of Agriculture Private Sector and NGOs World Trade Organization Think Tanks Congressional Research Service U.S. Department of Commerce USTR Advisory Committee Reports

What can State Officials do to Influence Trade Policy?

• Develop expertise on trade policy
• Request representation on IGPAC
• Letter to USTR, USDA, Congress, President, etc.
• State Congressional Delegation
• Work directly with USTR, USDA and the U.S. Department of

Commerce.