WebMemo posted May 18, 2004 by Sara Fitzgerald
Trading Down Under: Congress Must Act Fast
American producers
have greatly benefited from trade agreements, such as NAFTA, but
continue to face high tariffs around the world. While a global
effort to reduce trade barriers through the World Trade
Organization is the ideal path, this process has been slow. In the
meantime, bilateral and regional free trade agreements are a means
to…
Executive Memorandum posted May 4, 2004 by Sara Fitzgerald
Export Controls on Scrap Steel Would Harm the U.S. Economy
Scrap steel prices are high because of a
weak dollar and strong global demand for scrap steel. Mini-steel
mills, the largest U.S. consumers of scrap, want the U.S.
Department of Commerce to limit scrap steel exports in hope of
reducing domestic prices. However, even if the export controls did
work as intended,…
WebMemo posted March 24, 2004 by Sara Fitzgerald
Negotiating with Thailand: What U.S. Policymakers should know
This week a
delegation of Thai government officials, led by the Minister of
Commerce, Watana Muangsook, will visit Washington to make contacts
in preparation for the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations
later this spring. The delegation's meetings will range from
mingling with Members of Congress to negotiators at the United
States Trade Representative's office (USTR).…
Executive Memorandum posted February 25, 2004 by Sara Fitzgerald, Anthony Kim
MCA: Rewarding Open Markets
In a
new approach to foreign aid, Congress has approved $1 billion for
the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) for fiscal year 2004.
President Bush has stated that the MCA will "reward nations that
have more open markets." To accomplish the President's goal, the
Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) should focus on each
candidate country's…
WebMemo posted February 10, 2004 by Sara Fitzgerald, Anthony Kim
The Millennium Challenge Account: Rewarding Open Markets
Congress approved
$1 billion for the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA), a new
approach to foreign aid, on January 22. President Bush's mission
for the MCA is to "reward nations that have more open
markets…." To accomplish the President's mission, the
Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), which administers the
program, should focus on the progress of candidate…
WebMemo posted January 21, 2004 by Sara Fitzgerald
G'day to a Good Deal
Despite the outcry
over lost jobs, the Bush Administration is on the verge of losing
more. This week the United States and Australia are set to finish
negotiations for a free trade agreement (FTA). With the United
States already running a trade surplus with Australia, this
agreement could quiet critics of lost manufacturing jobs.…
Backgrounder posted December 18, 2003 by Stephen Johnson, Sara Fitzgerald
The United States and Mexico: Partners in Reform
On a
daily basis, U.S.-Mexican relations are probably closer now than at
any other time in the history of the two countries. Yet Mexico's
population is still growing faster than its economy can supply
jobs, and its recent democratic, free-market evolution has slowed,
stalling the implementation of President Vicente Fox's reform
agenda. As…
WebMemo posted October 22, 2003 by Sara Fitzgerald
Three Keys to MCA Success
President Bush
proposed the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) in 2002 as a means
to give aid to countries "that have demonstrated a commitment to
ruling justly, investing in people, and encouraging economic
freedom."
MCA legislation
passed the House this summer, and the Senate version will be voted
on this month. Though the current bills…
Backgrounder posted October 10, 2003 by Dana Dillon, Balbina Hwang, Ph.D., John Tkacik, Jr., James Jay Carafano, Ph.D., Sara Fitzgerald
The APEC Forum: Time to Make a Difference
President George W. Bush will join other
world leaders at the 11th Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)
Leaders' Summit in Bangkok, Thailand, on October 20-21. The meeting
of the heads of 21 economies bordering both sides of the Pacific
Ocean1 provides a
unique opportunity for President Bush to advance American…