The top Republican lawmakers in both chambers are ratcheting up pressure on President Barack Obama to encourage support for Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) among congressional Democrats. In his Jan. 28 State of the Union address, Obama touted Trade Promotion Authority as a means to increase U.S. exports, particularly in small and medium sized businesses (see 14012913). Leading House and Senate Republicans, however, say the brief reference is insufficient.

U.S. and European negotiators should not allow U.S. congressional opposition to Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) to deter focus on achieving an ambitious outcome in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, said Secretary of State John Kerry at the Munich Security Conference on Feb. 1. Kerry expressed “respect” for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., while implying Reid’s opposition to TPA may subside in the foreseeable future. “On the merits, this is a major initiative for us, for Europe, for the relationship, for the world. And when you combine it with the TPP, it really has a capacity to achieve what the WTO has not been able to succeed in, and it could have a profound impact on jumpstarting the economies for all of us,” said Kerry referring to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and World Trade Organization (WTO). “It’s worth millions of jobs, and in the end, jobs are a very powerful political persuasion.” Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, in attendance at the conference, also urged support for the trade pacts.

President Barack Obama will lobby in the immediate future to muster bipartisan support for the Trans-Pacific Partnership and Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership trade pacts, said White House spokesman Jay Carney during a Jan. 31 press briefing. Carney declined to comment on whether the administration is pressuring Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) support from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. “What I can tell you is that the President is going to make clear in the days and weeks ahead why he supports expanding American exports, why trade agreements with Asia and Europe are good for American workers, good for the United States, good for our economy,” said Carney. “And he is going to, and we are going to, the administration is going to, and others involved are going to engage Democrats and Republicans and other stakeholders in that discussion.” As majority leader, Reid controls the Senate floor schedule. Reid rejected TPA legislation in Jan. 29 comments (see 14013025).

President Barack Obama should consider adding South Korea to his Asia tour itinerary in order to solidify South Korean interest in joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations, said Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) analysts in a Jan. 31 Washington Post editorial (here), along with President of Armitage International Richard Armitage. Following Obama’s decision to forgo a trip to the region last October, the administration informally said the president would visit select Asian countries in April (here). CSIS Senior Advisor Victor Cha, CSIS Senior Vice President for Asia Michael Green, and Armitage said Obama is currently planning to visit Japan, the Philippines and Malaysia.

White House Spokesman Jay Carney downplayed recent comments made by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., expressing strenuous opposition to the Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities Act of 2014. Carney discussed the White House's ability to continue to press Trade Promotion Authority (TPA), considering Reid’s rejection of the bill during a press conference aboard Air Force One. “Leader Reid has always been clear on his position on this particular issue,” said Carney. “As the President said in the State of the Union address, he will continue to work to enact bipartisan trade promotion authority to protect our workers and environment and to open markets to new goods stamped ‘Made in the USA.’ And we will not cede this important opportunity for American workers and businesses to our competitors.” The Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities Act of 2014 is this year’s iteration of TPA. Reid on Jan. 29 reportedly said he would not take the legislation to the Senate floor (see 14013025).

President Barack Obama nominated William Doyle to serve on the Federal Maritime commission for another term, the White House said.

President Barack Obama notified Congress in a Dec. 23 letter to Speaker of the House John Boehner, R-Ohio, and president of the Senate, Vice President Joe Biden of his intent to designate Curaçao a beneficiary of the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act and the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (CBTPA). After the U.S. Trade Representative determines Curaçao is making substantial progress towards implementing and following customs procedures required in CBTPA, Curaçao will be eligible to receive CBTPA benefits.

The U.S. and Canada 2013 Implementation Report on the Beyond the Border Initiative shows some major progress towards implementing the agreement between the two countries, said the White House in a blog post . The report (here) looks at the ongoing work toward improved trade and travel between the two countries since the Beyond the Border initiative was started in 2011. ""Both countries have started to rely on the other’s offshore inspections of marine shipments to reduce the need for re-inspection at the land border," said the White House. "Also, the U.S. truck cargo pre-inspection pilot in Surrey, British Columbia, tested new approaches for conducting screening at the land border. We are building on these accomplishments to complete preclearance negotiations for all transportation modes."

President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate Darci Vetter as Chief Agricultural Negotiator at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, the White House said on Dec. 17. Following Senate confirmation, Vetter would replace outgoing Chief Agricultural Negotiator Islam Siddiqui (see 13121312). Vetter is currently Deputy Under Secretary in the Office of the Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services at the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

President Barack Obama plans to appoint John Donahoe, CEO of eBay, as a member of the President’s Export Council, the White House said Dec. 5. The President’s Export Council is comprised of private sector members, state and federal lawmakers and administration officials.