Trade
More on Trade
Trade is critical to rural states such as Nebraska. Producers, manufacturers, and consumers all benefit from sound trade policies which expand access to international markets. One of the primary reasons I joined the Ways and Means Committee, is to seize opportunities to reduce tariffs, remove artificial barriers, and ensure all Nebraskans can benefit from fair, open markets. Fortunately, within the past week, we received great news on two massive trade wins for the United States, and Nebraska in particular.
Washington, D.C. – Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) released the following statement regarding the imminent announcement of the completed United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA):
During this era of polarized politics, sometimes good news can fall through the cracks. Such was the case recently, when the United States and Japan completed "Phase One" of a trade agreement.
This agreement is huge for American agriculture, and Nebraska agriculture in particular. Currently, Japan is Nebraska's number one trade market for beef, pork, egg and wheat exports. These accomplishments have come despite existing Japanese tariffs and trade barriers on U.S. agriculture products.
Washington, D.C.– Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) released the following statement regarding the completion of "Phase One" of a trade agreement between the United States and Japan.
As we enter the end of summer and the beginning of fall, we have a few things to anticipate: harvest, back-to-school, and Husker football. It also means Congress will reconvene following work done across our districts.
There are many things to work on when Congress reconvenes in September. I hope our focus will be trade. It is incredibly important to our economy, particularly agriculture, and we should always be looking to expand markets for American goods and services. Trade is one of my top priorities in the Committee on Ways and Means, which has jurisdiction over trade.
Trade agreements reduce trade barriers, which promotes economic growth and cooperative relationships between nations. Because 95 percent of consumers reside outside U.S. borders, we must constantly be looking for ways to increase access to foreign markets and ensure America's competitiveness in an increasingly global marketplace. Negotiating trade agreements reduce tariffs between countries and open previously closed markets. Trade with foreign nations represents tremendous opportunities for the American economy.
Washington, D.C. – Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) released the following statement regarding an agreement reached by the United States, Canada, and Mexico to remove tariffs on steel and aluminum imports (Section 232).
This week I was at the White House for a meeting with President Trump, members of his cabinet, and a group of my House colleagues about USMCA, the trade agreement recently negotiated with Canada and Mexico to build on NAFTA's success. While there, I made it a point to thank President Trump for his swift response to recent harsh weather and flooding throughout Nebraska by approving an expedited federal disaster declaration.
Washington, D.C. - Congressman Adrian Smith (R-NE) visited the White House on Tuesday for a discussion on the USMCA trade agreement and personally thanked President Trump for approving Nebraska's disaster declaration in response to harsh weather and historic flooding throughout much of the state.
It was another busy week in the House Ways and Means Committee with important hearings on tax policy and the state of our economy. We heard from Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin in his annual testimony before the committee that the American economy is strong and our efforts at reforming the tax code have been very successful.