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.

Brief History:

Committee Activity: International Trade & Economic Development: 2/24/05 [DP].

Passed Senate: 2/9/06, 47-0.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL TRADE & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Majority Report: Do pass.Signed by Senators Shin, Chair; Doumit, Eide, Roach and Zarelli.

Staff: Jack Brummel (360-786-7428)

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 of Engrossed Memorial: 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.

Engrossed Memorial Compared to Original Memorial: The floor amendment replaced the name of the former U.S. Trade Representative with the name of the current U.S. Trade Representative and made a technical correction.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Committee/Commission/Task Force Created: No.

Testimony For: All too often, states become victims of federal trade policy. State trade policy needs a stronger voice on a federal level, and the Federal-State International Trade Policy Commission will help states strengthen that voice.

Testimony Against: None.

Who Testified: PRO: Senator Paull Shin, prime sponsor.