Smith: Aggressive Engagement is Critical to Get a Fair Deal in Digital Trade

Washington, D.C. – Today, Rep. Adrian Smith (R-NE), Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee's Trade Subcommittee, released the following statement after President Trump signed an executive order directing the United States Trade Representative to action to level the playing field for American businesses in the international digital marketplace. 

"President Trump’s aggressive engagement is critical for American companies to get a fair deal. Abdication on digital trade policy by the Biden-Harris administration left U.S. businesses without an advocate when unfairly targeted by foreign governments and ceded leadership to the Chinese Communist Party. Discriminatory tariffs on American digital products have harmed our competitiveness and put American intellectual property at risk. To continue leading the world in innovation, we must compete on equal footing with our trade partners."

BACKGROUND:

Smith repeatedly encouraged the previous administration to take action to hold trade partners accountable for unfair practices such as Canada's tax on digital services.

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