Become part of the movement for unbiased, accessible election information. Donate today.
Joe Biden possible presidential campaign, 2016/International trade
From Ballotpedia
Ballotpedia's scope changes periodically, and this article type is no longer actively created or maintained. It may also contain neutrality issues.
 Joe Biden |
Vice President of the United States (2009-2017) U.S. Senator (1973-2009) |
 Democratic candidates: |
2028 • 2024 • 2020 • 2016 |
This page was current as of the 2016 election.
| Biden speaks at Munich Security Conference about the benefits of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership in February 2015. |
- Speaking at the Munich Security Conference in February 2015, Joe Biden discussed the importance of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership. Biden stated, "Now let me make clear what I heard this morning, TTIP is not the stepchild to TPP. We have not taken our focus off of Europe. We have not decided that the future lies in the Pacific Basin. We are a Pacific power. We will assert that power, and we will remain a Pacific power. But we are also an Atlantic power. And the Trans Pacific Partnership we're working on in no way means to imply that there’s greater focus on the concerns of the Pacific. It’s meant to make clear that internationally we need new rules of the road, across the Pacific, as well as across the Atlantic." Biden highlighted the agreement's normative power, saying, "Just as NATO reinforces the norms of global security, TTIP can strengthen the global trading system and to the benefit of people everywhere, even as it lies–ties our two continents more closely together. If we can finalize this trade agreement we’re negotiating in the Pacific, and unite the countries representing two-thirds of the world’s trade into a coalition of free and fair trade, that will drive the standards and rules for 21st century–a coalition too large for countries to ignore the basic rules that we’ve agreed on."[1]
- Biden wrote an op-ed in The New York Times about the potential for greater economic cooperation between Central America and the United States in January 2015. After highlighting the efforts several Central American countries have made to combat corruption, Biden noted, "We are ready to work with international financial institutions and the private sector to help these countries train their young people, make it easier to start a business, and ensure that local enterprises get the most out of existing free trade agreements with the United States."[2]
- In February 2014, Biden wrote an op-ed in the Financial Times describing the benefits of the Trans-Pacific Partnership and Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership. Biden explained, "Both of the deals will increase US exports and help attract good middle-class jobs to America. When 95 per cent of the world’s customers live beyond our borders, exports are critical. Outside studies have found that the TPP and TTIP would each increase exports by more than $120 [billion] a year." Biden added, "After decades when our economy grew but the middle class took a beating, Americans are understandably worried about rising inequality at home. The president and I are determined to address this. So the deals we are negotiating are different from those our country has signed before, reflecting the lessons of two decades of globalisation. They include unprecedented steps to protect labour standards, the environment and intellectual property, as well as new commitments against favouritism for state-owned enterprises. They require nations that might otherwise try to undercut us to match our high standards instead."[3]
- In December 2007, although Biden declined to vote on HR 3688 - United States-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement Implementation Act, he stated in a press release that he did not support the trade agreement with Peru. Biden explained, "I cannot support the Peru Free Trade Agreement because the Bush Administration has not proven that it will effectively enforce labor and environmental provisions, however good they may be. Our economy is slowing down, and Americans don't trust this administration to protect their jobs, or the safety of our imports."[4]
- Biden spoke at a town hall meeting in Iowa on November 27, 2007, where he briefly discussed his stance on fair trade and free trade. Biden said, "We have to make it clear that this whole notion of free trade is not such a good idea. I am not a big guy on tariffs and trying to have no trade, but there is a thing called fair trade. Fair trade. Where you hold other companies accountable to the same exact standards that we are held to. That's the way, among other things, that will keep jobs."[5]
- When asked during a Democratic primary debate in 2007 whether he wanted to keep or change the North American Free Trade Agreement, Biden responded, "Hey, look, a president’s job is to create jobs, not to export jobs, and the idea that we are not willing to take the prime minister of Canada and the president of Mexico to the mat to make this agreement work is just a lack of presidential leadership. I would lead, I would do that, I would change it."[6]
- In 2006, Biden voted against S 3569 - United States-Oman Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act.[7]
- Biden voted against HR 3045 - Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act, which became law in September 2005 and approved trade agreements with Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua.[8]
- In 2003, Biden voted against a bill approving a free trade agreement with Singapore, HR 2739 - United States-Singapore Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act. The bill became law in September 2003.[9]
- Biden voted against HR 2738 - United States-Chile Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act in 2003. The bill became law in September 2003.[10]
- Biden voted in favor of several free trade agreements in the 1990s and early 2000s.
- Biden voted in favor of two trade agreements that became law in 2004: HR 4759 - United States-Australia Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act and HR 4842 - United-States Morocco Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act.[11][12]
- Biden voted in favor HR 434 - Trade and Development Act of 2000, which became law on May 18, 2000. This act established trade agreements with sub-Saharan and Caribbean countries and sought to remove barriers to trade in those two regions.[13]
- Biden voted in favor of HR 4444, which sought "to extend...normal trade relations treatment" to China. This bill became law in October 2000. [14]
- Biden supported HR 1876, which became law in July 1993 and expanded the president's power to enter into trade agreements for a period of time.[15]
- Biden voted in favor of implementing the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in 1993.[16]
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term Joe + Biden + International + Trade
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ WhiteHouse.gov, "Remarks by the Vice President at the Munich Security Conference," February 7, 2015
- ↑ The New York Times, "Joe Biden: A Plan for Central America," January 29, 2015
- ↑ Financial Times, "We cannot afford to stand on the sidelines of trade," February 27, 2014
- ↑ Joseph R. Biden, Jr., United States Senator for Delaware, "BIDEN Issues Statement on Peru Free Trade Agreement," accessed May 28, 2015
- ↑ C-SPAN, "Biden Town Hall Meeting," November 27, 2007
- ↑ Council on Foreign Relations, "Democratic Debate Transcript, Chicago," August 7, 2007
- ↑ Congress.gov, "S.3569 - United States-Oman Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act," accessed May 28, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.R.3045 - Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act," accessed May 28, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.R.2739 - United States-Singapore Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act," accessed May 28, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.R.2738 - United States-Chile Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act," accessed May 28, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.R.4759 - United States-Australia Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act," accessed May 28, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.R.4842 - United States-Morocco Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act," accessed May 28, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.R.434 - Trade and Development Act of 2000," accessed May 28, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.R.4444 - To authorize extension of nondiscriminatory treatment (normal trade relations treatment) to the People's Republic of China, and to establish a framework for relations between the United States and the People's Republic of China.," accessed May 28, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.R.1876 - To provide authority for the President to enter into trade agreements to conclude the Uruguay Round of multilateral trade negotiations under the auspices of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, to extend tariff proclamation authority to carry out such agreements, and to apply Congressional "fast track" procedures to a bill implementing such agreements.," accessed May 28, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.R.3450 - North American Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act," accessed May 28, 2015
