WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) joined his colleagues in a letter calling on President Biden to reverse the U.S. Trade Representative’s (USTR) decision to abandon positions at the World Trade Organization (WTO) which allow the free flow of information across borders, protect against the forced transfer of American technology, and promote open markets for digitalgoods exported by creators and businesses.
American advocates, small businesses, and major industries have warned this move by USTR will allow unfair trade practices targeting U.S. employers, further China’s model for digital protectionism, and give regimes such as China and Russia an opening to advance censorship and surveillance policies.
“These commitments reflect bipartisan principles that, until now, the United States has strongly supported across political parties, administrations, and the federal government: an open internet that promotes the flow of information across borders to support American exports and American values. USTR’s decision to abandon these commitments at the WTO creates a policy vacuum that China and Russia will fill,” the senators wrote. “Retreating from our longstanding principles without offering a viable alternative does not help U.S. workers, it does not help U.S. consumers, it does not help U.S. businesses, and it does not help U.S. allies; it only helps our adversaries.”
The letter was led by U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Mike Crapo (R-ID). Additional cosigners include U.S. Senators Tom Carper (D-DE), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Chris Coons (D-DE), John Barrasso (R-WY), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), James Lankford (R-OK), Angus King (I-ME), Ted Budd (R-NC), Patty Murray (D-WA), Todd Young (R-IN), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Steve Daines (R-MT), Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Alex Padilla (D-CA), John Cornyn (R-TX), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Jim Risch (R-ID), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Tim Scott (R-SC), and Mark Kelly (D-AZ).
Click here for the letter.