House Trade Subcommittee to Hold Panama FTA Hearing on March 30
The House Ways and Means Committee’s Trade Subcommittee has announced that it will hold the second in its series of hearings on the pending free trade agreements with Colombia, Panama, and South Korea. The focus of the second hearing, scheduled for March 30, 2011, is on Congressional consideration of the pending FTA with Panama.
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(The Trade Subcommittee’s first hearing was held on March 17, 2011 and covered the Colombia FTA.) (See ITT’s Online Archives or 03/18/11 news, 11031810, for BP summary of the Trade Subcommittee’s first hearing on Colombia.)
Hearing to Focus on Congressional Consideration of Panama FTA
The hearing will address the economic benefits the Panama FTA would bring to U.S. businesses, farmers, workers, consumers, and the U.S. economy. In addition, the hearing will examine the national security and geopolitical implications of the agreement, as well as Panama’s tax transparency.
In announcing this hearing, Trade Subcommittee Chairman Brady said, “Opening up dynamic new markets like Panama for American goods and services must be a priority for robust U.S. long-term growth. We need a concrete plan now from the Administration for moving forward with the Panama agreement to allow Congressional consideration of all three pending trade agreements by July 1.”
Written comments for March 30, 2011 hearing are due by April 13, 2011.
(See ITT’s Online Archives or 03/16/11 news, 11031618, for BP summary on statement by House trade leaders that all three pending FTAs (Panama, Colombia, and Korea) would pass the House with bipartisan support if the White House agreed to act on all three.
See ITT’s Online Archives or 03/15/11 news, 11031502, for BP summary of letter from 44 Senate Republicans saying until the President submits all three pending FTAs, they will use all the tools at their disposal to force action, including withholding support for any nominee for Commerce Secretary and any other trade-related nominees.
See ITT's Online Archives or 02/10/11 news, 11021031, for BP summary of a House Ways and Means Committee during which the Committee leadership indicated that the lack of action on the three pending FTAs is hindering the rest of the U.S. trade agenda.)