Washington – The Computer & Communications Industry Association submitted statements for the record with the House Ways & Means Committee and the Senate Finance Committee responding to statements made in the oversight hearings of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) held on April 16 and April 17, respectively. The hearings were held as scrutiny has grown over USTR’s decision to reverse long standing and bipartisan support for strong digital trade rules on the global stage. The testimony offered some novel rationales for the agency’s retreat from long-standing U.S. policy, but many members of Congress were skeptical. Attached to the statements for the record is CCIA’s “Myths and Facts about Digital Trade Rules” piece which responds to broader arguments against striking digital trade rules that have been floated in recent years.
The Computer & Communications Industry Association has advocated for digital trade rules that strengthen the global economy for over 50 years.
The following can be attributed to CCIA Vice President of Digital Trade Jonathan McHale:
“The pursuit and enforcement of robust digital trade commitments is a critical aspect of the U.S. Trade Representative’s mandate and mission to support U.S. exporters both large and small, and their workers. Deprioritizing digital issues does not advance U.S. interests, and undermines a trade policy that should be focussed on U.S. competitiveness—an area that clearly includes digital trade.”