Brief Description: Requesting the United States trade representative to create a federal-state international trade policy commission.

Sponsors: Senators Shin, Rasmussen, Rockefeller, Weinstein, Kastama, Kohl-Welles, Pridemore, Berkey, Doumit, McAuliffe, Franklin, Keiser, Regala, Fairley, Prentice, Jacobsen, Fraser and Haugen.

Hearing Date: 2/17/06

Staff: Tracey Taylor (786-7196).

Background:

The United States Trade Representative (USTR), a member of the President's Cabinet, handles the negotiations on behalf of the President. The USTR, the President's chief advisor on trade policy, also consults with other government agencies, private sector advisory committees, and various congressional committees on trade policy matters. The USTR is also responsible for contacting the various states regarding participation in trade agreements. The USTR has established a State Single Point of Contact (SPOC) system for day-to-day consultations with the states. Chosen by the governor of each state, the SPOC designee disseminates information received from the USTR to state and local agencies. The SPOC also assists in communicating trade specific information and advice from the state to the USTR. In addition to the SPOC, the USTR's Office of Intergovernmental Affairs and Public Liaison (IAPL) is the designated "Coordinator for State Matters" and is charged with informing states on an on-going basis of trade-related matters.

The Intergovernmental Policy Advisory Committee (IGPAC) members include representatives from the National Association of State Procurement Officials, National League of Cities, National Associations of Attorneys General, National Association of Counties, National Center for State Courts, Council of State Governments and National Conference of State Legislatures as well as state/local elected and appointed officials from several states, counties and territories. Washington's IGPAC representative is Robert Hamilton, the Governor's Advisor on Trade Policy and the state's Point of Contact for the USTR.

IGPAC recently submitted a memorandum to the USTR outlining recommendations to improve federal-state policy coordination. The main recommendation made by IGPAC was the creation of a Federal-State International Trade Policy Commission (Fed-State Commission).

Membership would be drawn from federal and state officials responsible for trade policy. The goals of the Fed-State Commission would be to:

• foster consultation among officials from various levels of government on trade and investment concerns;
• be a resource for objective nonpartisan trade policy and trade law analysis; and
• author reports and make recommendations about trade policy for consideration by the federal, state and local governments.

This process is similar to the federal-provincial-territorial consultations on trade that Canada employs.

Summary of Bill:

The Legislature requests the USTR to create a Federal-State International Trade Policy Commission. The Commission is to serve as a resource for objective trade policy analysis and foster communication among federal and state trade policy officials.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.