“We are going to win so much” is a staple soundbite from President Donald Trump, and also is representative of his administration’s mindset to international negotiations. President Trump favors bilateral trade deals and has been optimistically touting the US as the UK’s first FTA partner after Brexit. From the UK’s perspective, Prime Minister Boris Johnson … Continue Reading
The US House of Representatives returns to Washington this week, but negotiations aimed at forging a bipartisan consensus on the next federal COVID-19 response package are still weeks away. The Memorial Day holiday weekend brought a surge of activity by Americans who have been in lockdown for months and are yearning for a return to … Continue Reading
The 73rd World Health Assembly (Assembly) convened virtually on 18-19 May; the US remains critical of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) response to the spread of COVID-19 and its relationship with the People’s Republic of China (PRC). The Assembly is the key decision-making body of the WHO that is attended by representatives of the United … Continue Reading
Speaking at a pre-Memorial Day event hosted by The Hill, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said it will be “a few weeks” before the Trump Administration moves to negotiate with Congress on another large-scale coronavirus response bill, while conceding there is “a strong likelihood” such legislation will eventually be needed to support the struggling American … Continue Reading
The legislative process in the US Congress is beginning to take on a more familiar look as policymakers work to shape the next steps in the federal response to COVID-19 and the resulting economic crisis. The US House of Representatives will be back in session again next week, albeit with temporary proxy voting measures in … Continue Reading
The timing and scope of the next steps in the federal legislative response to COVID-19 and the resulting economic crisis remain an open question, as the US’ top monetary policy official declined to take a side Tuesday in the escalating partisan debate over how swiftly the US Congress must deliver additional aid.… Continue Reading
The US Senate is in session this week, focusing on oversight of the US$2.2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act and what Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) calls America’s “pivot toward reopening.” Congressional Democrats will launch a national public relations campaign today in hopes of pressuring McConnell to consider the US$3 … Continue Reading
The US$3 trillion Health and Economic Recovery Omnibus Emergency Solutions (HEROES) Act passed the US House of Representatives on Friday. The next moves in shaping the future of the federal legislative response to COVID-19 will be up to the White House and congressional Republicans, who control the US Senate and have expressed a desire to … Continue Reading
On 4 May, the EU hosted a virtual international summit to secure approximately US$8.2 billion in pledged funding for research into vaccines and treatments for COVID-19. While the US government did not participate in the summit (nor did Russia or India), it continues to prioritize securing a vaccine this year. Meanwhile, the national trend in … Continue Reading
Google and Apple are collaborating on contact-tracing technology that allows for better communication between the two operating platforms to help alert individuals that may have crossed paths with a confirmed COVID-19 case. The two companies noted in a joint statement issued earlier this month, “[W]e hope to harness the power of technology to help countries … Continue Reading
The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected the global economy, as social distancing and shelter in place orders in various countries have affected employees, factories and global supply chains. After several weeks of restrictions, governments around the world are outlining plans to return to a “new normal,” post-COVID. US President Donald Trump released federal guidelines last … Continue Reading
As the curve of COVID-19 cases flattens in parts of the US and Europe, government officials are exploring ways to restart their economies. Looking further ahead, doing so will likely include resuming the stalled transatlantic talks aimed at securing new trade agreements. In the aftermath of the 2008-2009 financial crisis, governments kept the global economy … Continue Reading
On September 30, 2018, the US, Mexico and Canada announced the successful conclusion of talks to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) contains a number of chapters not included in the original deal, including sections on digital commerce, currency policies and state-owned enterprises (SOEs). Other standard chapters – such … Continue Reading
On July 17, the Trump Administration released its negotiating objectives for the upcoming renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). The detailed objectives can be found here, and a press release from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative can be found here.… Continue Reading
Following a dramatic end to the 113th Congress – which saw year-end compromises around defense spending authorization and the so-called “cromnibus” appropriations bill – President Obama and the newly-elected Republican majority in the Senate are under pressure to demonstrate to the American people their capacity to govern for the next two years. As the new … Continue Reading
Executive and Legislative Branch Activity Trade Over the weekend, the White House welcomed the news that the World Trade Organization (WTO) adopted a multilateral trade facilitation deal reached in Bali, Indonesia. The United States and India compromised on food subsidies, and a Latin American bloc led by Cuba dropped its opposition to an agreement. At … Continue Reading
