U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk says the Obama administration recognizes the benefits of trade to the U.S. economy, but won't send bilateral trade pacts with Colombia, Panama and South Korea to Capitol Hill for approval until the American public reaches the same conclusion. Kirk cited a recent NBC News-Wall Street Journal poll showing nearly 70% of Americans don't see the value of exports.
Kirk did announce that the first U.S. chicken shipment to Russia cleared customs this week. Russia, formerly the poultry industry's biggest customer, stopped imports earlier over sanitary concerns, locking U.S poultry out of an $800 million market.
The trade ambassador has spent much of the last ten months trying to drum up domestic support for trade. He acknowledged that all three pending FTA's would provide market access and help add jobs.
Kirk says his office is rushing to finalize the Korea FTA by mid-November when President Obama meets with other G20 leaders in Asia. He indicated that a timetable for getting it and the two other pending trade deals to the Hill would be announced after the mid-term elections.
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