USTR Publishes NAFTA Objectives; Meets Continued Resistance

The office of the U.S. Trade Representative has finally updated its summary of NAFTA objectives in response to pressure from the Senate Finance Committee to provide transparency regarding the negotiations.

Ron Wyden (D-OR) put the confirmation of two deputy USTR nominees on hold until the updated objectives were made public. Wyden said the summaries are “critical to provide a window into the process so that the public — and their representatives in Congress — can provide relevant input into the talks.” He added that the American public should not have to rely on media reports to “know what the government is purportedly seeking on its behalf.” The confirmations will move forward, but hearings on the nominations are not expected to be scheduled until the tax reform legislation is settled.