Jefferson Reporter

U.S. Senator Katie Britt, along with Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo and Ranking Member Ron Wyden, has urged the Biden-Harris Administration to halt expedited trade negotiations conducted in secrecy. In a bipartisan letter, 18 senators expressed concern over the United States Trade Representative's (USTR) attempts to amend three major trade agreements without adequate congressional consultation.

The USTR is reportedly working on changes to the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), the United States-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement, and the Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR). The senators criticized this approach as lacking transparency and risking valuable leverage that could be used for securing benefits for Americans.

"Unfortunately, [the] USTR is pursuing substantive changes to congressionally approved trade agreements on an abbreviated timeline, out of the view of the public, and without meaningful congressional consultation," they stated. They further warned that such concessions could hinder progress on key U.S. priorities like addressing Mexico’s illegal fishing practices within USMCA discussions.

The group of senators emphasized the importance of involving Congress and stakeholders in these negotiations: "Robust consultations with Congress and stakeholders would help USTR ensure that its engagements help Americans get what they were promised under U.S. trade agreements."

Senators Britt and Tommy Tuberville have introduced a resolution asserting that any closed-door negotiation by USTR Katherine Tai regarding Annex 14-C of USMCA requires Congressional approval to be legally binding. The resolution also clarifies that no federal agency can enforce "joint interpretation" unless formally approved by Congress.

Senator Britt has previously highlighted these concerns through various media outlets, advocating for her legislation titled the Defending American Property Abroad Act. This act proposes retaliatory measures against Mexico if it benefits from seizing property belonging to Vulcan Materials Company in Quintana Roo.

In addition to Senators Britt, Crapo, and Wyden, other signatories include Senators Tim Kaine, Tommy Tuberville, Michael Bennet, Thom Tillis, Catherine Cortez Masto, Chuck Grassley, Alex Padilla, Bill Cassidy, Chris Coons, Marsha Blackburn, Mark Warner, Steve Daines, Todd Young, John Cornyn, and Roger Marshall.