Trump team wants revamped NAFTA deal: lawmakersMarch 29, 2017 - 10:03 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Trump administration trade officials want a revamped North American Free Trade Agreement to improve access for U.S. farm products, manufactured goods and services in Canada and Mexico, said lawmakers who met with them on Tuesday, March 28, Reuters reports. Members of the House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee met with Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross and acting U.S. Trade Representative Stephen Vaughn to discuss the administration's plans for renegotiating the 23-year-old trade deal. Representative Bill Pascrell, a New Jersey Democrat, said Ross told lawmakers in the closed-door session that the administration was still aiming to complete NAFTA renegotiations by the end of 2017. That time frame is viewed by some members as "ambitious," especially because it is not clear when the administration will formally notify Congress of its intention to launch NAFTA renegotiations, Pascrell said. The notification will trigger a 90-day consultation period before substantial talks can begin. Tuesday's meeting was a legal requirement to prepare the notification and preserve the "fast track" authority for approving a renegotiated deal with only an up-or-down vote in Congress. President Donald Trump has long vilified NAFTA as draining millions of manufacturing jobs to Mexico, and he has vowed to quit the trade pact unless it can be renegotiated to shrink U.S. trade deficits. Lawmakers said Ross and Vaughn discussed broad negotiating objectives, but did not get into specific issues such as U.S. access to Canada's dairy sector or rules of origin for parts used on North American-assembled vehicles. House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady told reporters that market access, modernizing NAFTA and "holding trading partners accountable" were key objectives articulated by Ross and Vaughn "They were very clear, they want to open access in ag, manufacturing and services as well, so they want this to be a 21st century agreement," Brady said. Spokesmen for the Commerce Department and USTR were not immediately available for comment on the meeting. Lawmakers said the administration has not settled on the form of the negotiations, whether NAFTA will remain a tri-lateral agreement or whether it would be split into two bilateral trade deals. "My sense is that they are not prejudging the form, they are focused on the substance of the agreement itself with Mexico and Canada," Brady said. Photo. Via Ben Goff on Flickr Top stories Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". The earthquake caused a temporary blackout, damaged many buildings and closed a number of rural roads. Partner news | U.S. welcomes efforts to define Armenia-Azerbaijan border The United States welcomes efforts to define the border between Armenia and Azerbaijan, says Vedant Patel. Biden honors resilience of Armenian people on April 24 U.S. President Joe Biden has issued a statement on the 109th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Ex-Karabakh leader moved to solitary confinement cell in Baku, his son says David Vardanyan is the son of former Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan who who is currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan. Macron says France commemorates 109th anniv. of Armenian genocide Today France commemorates the 109th anniversary of the Armenian genocide of 1915, Macron says. |