_________________________________________________________________________________________________ Digital
Trading
Scores of members of Congress have lodged objections with USTR in letters and hearings . The business community has rallied with near unanimity . Of note , a coalition of over 40 American associations and businesses – led by the U . S . Chamber of Commerce – called on the Biden Administration to stand up for American businesses and workers by reasserting U . S . leadership in digital trade .
that export rely on digital tools . This includes digital advertising , digital tools associated with payment collection , and international shipments . Notably , digital trade allows for smaller exporters and larger firms to prosper together . Services shared among small and large businesses are using digital tools to create a mutually beneficial trade ecosystem . And because antiquated , burdensome , complex , and costly customs make it difficult for U . S . businesses to compete , digital trade agreements would allow for more modern approaches , including cross-border data flows .
Policy pushback
Both Democratic and Republican members of Congress agree , arguing the Biden Administration must stop jeopardizing growth facilitated by digital trade . Historically , digital trade rules have had broad bipartisan support across different administrations . In 2020 , 90 percent of the U . S . House and Senate voted in favor of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement ( USMCA ), which included gold-standard digital trade provisions .
Is America prepared to reassert dominance ?
Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle and businesses of all sizes have argued that one of the most concerning parts of this withdrawal from supporting digital trade rules is the threat of foreign competition . Without strong digital trade rules to block the discriminatory treatment of American companies in foreign markets , U . S . businesses ’ access to international markets and their intellectual property that is embedded in digital goods and services are at risk .
But it ’ s not too late to reverse this reversal . U . S . leaders need to understand that maintaining a strong digital trade policy can secure opportunities for American workers , consumers , and companies of all sectors and sizes , and forsaking this will hand our foreign competitors a huge advantage . ■
For a list of the sources used in this article , please contact the editor .
John Murphy www . uschamber . com
John Murphy is the Senior Vice President and Head of International at the U . S . Chamber of Commerce , the world ’ s largest business organization . For all the people across the businesses the Chamber represents , the Chamber is a trusted advocate , partner , and network , helping them improve society and people ’ s lives .
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