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.

Senate Committee on International Trade & Economic Development
House Committee on Economic Development, Agriculture & Trade

Background: The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) is responsible for developing and coordinating U.S. international trade policy and overseeing negotiations with other countries. The Intergovernmental Policy Advisory Committee (IGPAC), comprised of state and local government representatives, periodically advises the USTR on trade agreements from the perspective of state and local governments.

The IGPAC recently recommended that the USTR create a Federal-State International Trade Policy Commission, with membership to be drawn from federal and state trade policy officials.

Summary: The USTR is requested 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.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate      47   0
House      97   0