Posts Tagged ‘vicki needham’
Russia trade bill stands at the ready
Better late …: After months of delays, the House is prepared to pass a bill normalizing trade relations with Russia before heading off for some turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie.
Pressure from business groups has been intense on the issue, with the National Association of Manufacturers fanning out and knocking on 100 doors on Capitol Hill on Thursday to round up support.
The bill also includes language related to human rights in Russia, which specifically calls for denying U.S. visas to Russian officials involved in the 2009 death of Russian lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, as well as the freezing of any U.S. assets of those officials.
But Democrats said Thursday that the inclusion of the Magnitsky language makes it easy to support the bill, because it is now much more than just a regular trade bill.
Rep. Sandy Levin (D-Mich.), the ranking member of the House Ways and Means Committee, said Democrats can vote for the bill “with good conscience” because of the Magnitsky language. He and other lawmakers are looking to expand the language to include global human rights violations.
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House aims to take up trade bill in September
A leading business coalition expects the House to take up a bill that would extend normal trade ties to Russia shortly after returning from the summer break.
The National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) expects the House to hold a vote Sept. 12 on a bill that combines provisions providing permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) to Russia with human-rights legislation.
“If the House acts that early in September, there should be a good bit of momentum going forward in Senate,” Bill Reinsch, NFTC’s president told reporters Tuesday, on the eve of Russia joining the World Trade Organization.
Russia completes its accession to the World Trade Organization on Wednesday but Congress didn’t repeal the 1974 Jackson-Vanik provision, which would have provided normal trade relations between the two nations, before leaving for the August recess.
“Sen. [Harry] Reid hasn’t said anything about this in a very long time, but it would be big news if the House passes it on suspension, there would be a lot of momentum,” Reinsch said.
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Business groups headed to conventions to push lawmakers on Russia trade bil
Business groups will mount their next blitz on lawmakers to pass a bill normalizing trade with Russia at the upcoming party conventions.
The Business Roundtable and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce will head to the Republicans convention in Tampa and to the Democrats event in Charlotte to hammer home the need to pass legislation extending permanent normal trade relations to Moscow when they return to Washington next month.
“Through radio and print ads, media interviews and panel discussions, the BRT agenda to grow the U.S. economy, including PNTR with Russia, will be highlighted at the conventions,” said Tita Freeman, senior vice president for communications at the BRT.
The Chamber will blanket the conventions, as well.
“Yes, it will be on our agenda as well as we talk with members of Congress at both conventions,” said Blair Latoff, senior director of U.S. Chamber communications.
“With a severely attenuated congressional calendar for the fall, we will be encouraging Members to focus on key priorities, which includes finally passing Russia PNTR and allowing the trade benefits to begin to flow as soon as possible,” Latoff said.
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Business groups worry that Congress will leave Russia trade bill hanging
Business groups supporting Russian trade legislation are increasingly worried Congress will leave for its five-week recess before completing the measure.
If Congress does leave before removing Russia from the terms of the 37-year-old Jackson-Vanik law, U.S. exporters will be the ones that suffer, the groups say.
Russia in August is expected to join the World Trade Organization (WTO), a move that requires the United States to repeal Jackson-Vanik, a U.S. law originally aimed at encouraging the emigration of Russian Jews with the threat of higher tariffs on Russian products.
If the United States does not lift Russia from Jackson-Vanik, the world’s sixth-largest economy will be able to raise tariffs on U.S. goods under the WTO’s rules.
“This is a mess and it is why the USA Engage and the National Foreign Trade Council are urging this Congress and this president to get their act together right now and enact Russia PNTR [permanent normal trade relations],” Dan O’Flaherty, NFTC’s vice president, wrote in a Monday blog post.
“Otherwise, American companies will not have the advantages that our negotiators have spent 19 years gaining for them in the Russian market,” he wrote.
House and Senate committees have both approved legislation to graduate Russia from Jackson-Vanik, but they disagree over a human-rights bill that has become the price for moving the Russia trade legislation.
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Business groups keep up pressure to pass Russia trade bill
Business groups are optimistic that Congress can clear legislation to normalize trade relations with Russia by next week, but intend to keep up the pressure until it’s done.
The Business Roundtable and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce said Wednesday that repealing Jackson-Vanik and extending permanent normal trade relations to Moscow would provide a boost to the sagging economy.
The bill is feeding off the momentum from the Senate Finance Committee, which unanimously approved a measure last week that combines the repeal language with the human-rights legislation that would punish Russian officials involved in the death of whistleblower Sergei Magnitsky, a lawyer who died in prison after reporting government corruption.
Bill Miller, senior vice president of government affairs of BRT, called last week’s 24-0 vote “unprecedented” and is hoping that the House Ways and Means Committee will approve its bipartisan bill on Thursday and send it to the floor early next week.
“It looks like we are very close to getting Russia PNTR done,” Milller told reporters.
Passage in the House would give the Senate a chance to clear the bill for President Obama’s signature before Russia joins the World Trade Organization on Aug. 22.
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Optimism grows Russia trade bill will pass before August recess
Optimism is rising among lawmakers and trade advocates that Congress can pass a Russian trade bill before the August recess.
The bill to normalize trade relations with Moscow, which appeared hopelessly stalled before a Senate Finance Committee markup, found new life after winning unanimous support among panel members following an agreement crafted by Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and top Republican Orrin Hatch of Utah.
While actions last week — moving the joint trade and human rights bill through Senate Finance and locking in a bipartisan deal in the House — provide greater hope that Congress can get a bill to President Obama’s desk before Russia joins the World Trade Organization next month, lawmakers are running short on time.
“I remain confident this will get done by the August recess,” Christopher Wenk, head of international policy at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce told The Hill on Friday.
“The Chamber won’t let Congress leave town without getting it done.”
The broad support in the Senate Finance Committee for a bill that combines the repeal of the 37-year-old Jackson-Vanik provision to grant permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) with a measure that punishes Russian officials involved in the death of whistleblower lawyer Sergei Magnitsky seemed to simultaneously surprise trade watchers and pave the way for a final resolution.
Although the chances for the bill to clear Congress are looking up, and the measure represents a bright spot amid the legislative logjam in Congress, there are no guarantees, supporters caution.
“Based on what I’ve been hearing, I wouldn’t say that they’re [lawmakers] confident about getting it done before the August recess,” said Ed Gerwin, a senior fellow for trade and global economic policy at Third Way.
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Senators, Obama administration aim for compromise on Russia trade
Senators and the Obama administration remain at odds over how to proceed on making trade ties permanent with Russia although they are working together on a way forward.
Senate Finance Committee members said Thursday are backing a plan to link legislation repealing Jackson-Vanik, which allow for grant normal permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) with Moscow, with a human rights bill that would punish Russian officials involved with the death of lawyer Sergei Magnitsky, who died in police custody.
Obama administration officials, U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk and Deputy Secretary of State William Burns, told the Finance panel on Thursday that they prefer separate tracks for the two measures but will continue to work with lawmakers toward a compromise to pass a measure before the August recess.
Regardless of current differences, lawmakers and Obama administration officials agree that PNTR needs to be granted before Russia joins the World Trade Organziation (WTO) in August.
Burns acknowledged Thursday that there is a “constructive dialogue” continuing with lawmakers and that the administration’s concerns are being considered. He opted to reserve a final opinion on how the administration will react until a bill emerges from the Senate.
House Ways and Means Chairman Dave Camp (R-Mich.), who held a Wednesday hearing, is siding with the Obama administration in pressing for a “clean” PNTR bill.
Support is building on both sides of the Capitol to link the two bills as a way to let Congress express its dissatisfaction with Russia’s record on human rights.
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Baucus to pair Russian trade bill with Magnitsky human rights measure
The chairman of the Senate Finance Committee is linking support for increased trade with Russia to a human rights bill that could punish Russian officials.
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) on Tuesday announced in a letter he backs a plan to pair legislation granting normal trade relations with Russia with the so-called Magnitsky legislation that would freeze assets and deny U.S. visas to Russian officials linked to human rights abuses.
The bill is named for Sergei Magnitsky, a Russian lawyer who died while in police custody.
Russia is strongly opposed to the Magnitsky bill and has warned its passage would cool relations with the U.S. and could lead to retaliation. The Obama administration does not support the legislation.
Multinational companies have also expressed alarm at the Magnitsky bill, fearing it could result in sanctions on their businesses.
But Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and other supporters of the bill argue the U.S. must take a tougher stand against human rights abuses in Russia. They hope to force the issue by paring the bill with legislation granting Russia permanent normal trade relations, a requirement for the U.S. with Russia’s entry to the World Trade Organization.
If the U.S. does not grant Russia the improved trade status, Russia could impose higher tariffs on U.S. products.
Baucus’s letter to Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) said he backs their position that passage of permanent normal trade relations for Russia is contingent upon passage of the Magnitsky bil.
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