ACC Commends Ways & Means Committee for Strong Votes to Pass Free Trade Agreements, Urges Swift House Action

ACC president and CEO Cal Dooley released the following statement upon U.S. House Ways & Means Committee passage of free trade agreements with Columbia, Korea, and Panama. Dooley had previously written Committee Chairman Dave Camp (R-MI) and Ranking Member Sander Levin (D-MI) detailing ACC’s endorsement of the pacts:

“ACC and its member companies commend chairman Camp and the members of the Way & Means Committee for their bipartisan support today for the trade agreements negotiated with South Korea, Colombia, and Panama. The American chemistry industry strongly supports these agreements, which will create and maintain jobs in the U.S. and enhance America’s economic security.

“Our members are eager to see the free trade agreements approved and implemented, and we urge swift action by the full House and in the Senate to get the pacts working for American businesses. Treaties such as these are especially vital for the chemistry industry, one of the nation's largest exporting sectors, with over $171 billion in exports in 2010, accounting for more than ten cents out of every dollar in U.S. exports. The global market for chemistry is intensely competitive, and the protections of solid free trade agreements such as these can mean the difference between success and failure.”

To view ACC’s letter to chairman Camp and ranking member Levin, visit www.americanchemistry.com/Policy/FTA-Support-Letter-House.pdf