WASHINGTON, DC -- Congressman Mike Michaud (ME-02) and Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) have sent a letter to the House Ways and Means Committee urging them to include a bill they authored in the final version of a bill granting Russia permanent normal trade relations (PNTR), which is expected to be marked up later this week. Michaud and DeLauro's bill, the Russian World Trade Organization Commitments Verification Act of 2012, would require the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to complete annual reports on Russia's compliance with its World Trade Organization (WTO) obligations and to take action when they have not met their commitments.

"These simple but effective provisions would prevent persistent unfair trade practices from going unaddressed and would strengthen any legislation that grants PNTR to Russia," said Michaud and DeLauro in their letter. "As we work to rebuild our economy and promote our manufacturing sector, it is now more important than ever to ensure all our trade agreements are strictly enforced."

The full text of the letter.

Dear Chairman Camp and Ranking Member Levin:

As your Committee prepares to markup legislation granting Russia Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR), we ask you to include our bill, the Russia World Trade Organization Commitments Verification Act of 2012, in the final version of the legislation before it comes to the House floor for a vote.

The Russia World Trade Organization Commitments Verification Act of 2012, H.R. 6149, is a commonsense, noncontroversial bill that seeks to increase U.S. enforcement of Russia's accession to the WTO. The bill would require annual reports by the United States Trade Representative that identify whether Russia has complied with its WTO obligations. It would require the Administration to take action to ensure compliance, and it gives explicit authority to the congressional committees of jurisdiction to do the same should the Administration fail to do so. These simple but effective provisions would prevent persistent unfair trade practices from going unaddressed and would strengthen any legislation that grants PNTR to Russia.

We learned with China that countries do not always fulfill the promises they make upon joining the WTO, and American workers have suffered as a result. We cannot afford to repeat these mistakes. As we work to rebuild our economy and promote our manufacturing sector, it is now more important than ever to ensure all our trade agreements are strictly enforced. The monitoring and enforcement tools included in H.R. 6149 are critical to leveling the playing field for American companies and American workers. That is why we ask you to include them any Russia PNTR legislation reported out of your committee.

We look forward to working with you to ensure our trade agreements are enforced.

Sincerely,

Mike Michaud

Rosa DeLauro