For
Immediate
Release
April
25,
2017
|
Contact:
James
Wegmann
(202)
224-4224
|
|
Sasse
to
New
Agriculture
Secretary:
"Be
a
Champion
for
Free
Trade"
Sasse
outlines
trade
priorities,
invites
Secretary
to
Nebraska
Washington,
D.C.
-
Today,
shortly
after
Sonny
Perdue
was
sworn
in
as
the
U.S.
Agriculture
Secretary,
U.S.
Senator
Ben
Sasse
invited
the
new
secretary
to
Nebraska
and
urged
him
to
"be
a
champion
for
free
trade"
inside
the
administration.
"As
you
assume
your
new
position
in
the
Administration,
I
call
on
you
to
be
a
champion
for
free
trade,"
wrote
Sasse.
"Your
leadership
on
these
important
issues
is
vital
now
more
than
ever
because
the
Administration
has
provided
little
certainty
that
they
understand
the
importance
of
free
trade
policy
and
its
many
benefits
for
America’s
farmers,
ranchers,
and
small
businesses.
Specifically,
I
call
on
you
to
prioritize
the
following
critical
areas:
1)
Advocate
for
free
trade
policies
in
any
consideration
of
the
North
American
Free
Trade
Agreement;
2)
Advocate
for
U.S.
leadership
in
the
Pacific
markets
post
Trans-Pacific
Partnership;
3)
Prioritize
bilateral
trade
deals;
and
4)
Expand
market
access
and
make
America
more
competitive."
Earlier
this
year,
Sasse
convened
a
meeting
between
Perdue
and
Nebraska
agriculture
leaders,
including
Nebraska
Farm
Bureau President
Steve
Nelson,
Nebraska
Cattlemen President
Troy
Stowater,
and
Nebraska
Sugarbeet
Growers President
Kendall
Busch.
The
full
text
of
today's
letter
is
found
below.
Dear
Secretary
Perdue:
Congratulations
on
your
confirmation
to
serve
as
the
Secretary
of
the
U.S.
Department
of
Agriculture
(USDA).
I
supported
your
nomination
in
substantial
part
because
of
your
commitment
to
me
to
advocate
for
the
expansion
of
agricultural
export
markets
and
defend
free
trade
policy.
As
you
assume
your
new
position
in
the
Administration,
I
call
on
you
to
be
a
champion
for
free
trade.
Your
leadership
on
these
important
issues
is
vital
now
more
than
ever
because
the
Administration
has
provided
little
certainty
that
they
understand
the
importance
of
free
trade
policy
and
its
many
benefits
for
America’s
farmers,
ranchers,
and
small
businesses.
Specifically,
I
call
on
you
to
prioritize
the
following
critical
areas:
1)
Advocate
for
free
trade
policies
in
any
consideration
of
the
North
American
Free
Trade
Agreement;
2)
Advocate
for
U.S.
leadership
in
the
Pacific
markets
post
Trans-Pacific
Partnership;
3)
Prioritize
bilateral
trade
deals;
and
4)
Expand
market
access
and
make
America
more
competitive.
1.
Advocate
for
Free
Trade
Policies
in
Any
Consideration
of
the
North
American
Free
Trade
Agreement
(NAFTA):
Any
negotiations
regarding
NAFTA
should
aim
to
improve
and
preserve
the
agreement
and
highlight
the
historic
value
of
Canada
and
Mexico
as
our
trading
partners
for
American
agriculture.
2. Advocate
for
U.S.
Leadership
in
the
Pacific
Markets
Post
Trans-Pacific
Partnership
(TPP):
Following
the
Administration’s
January
2017
TPP
withdrawal,
U.S.
leadership
in
the
Pacific
markets
is
vital
to
advancing
U.S.
interests
in
the
region.
3. Prioritize
Bilateral
Trade
Deals:
The
Administration
should
prioritize
immediate
trade
negotiations
(bilateral
or
multilateral)
with
key
trading
partners
and
allies.
This
not
only
includes
Japan
and
the
United
Kingdom,
but
other
TPP
signatories.
4. Expand
Market
Access
and
Make
America
More
Competitive:
Because
no
one
benefits
from
a
trade
war
and
unfair
trade
practices,
it
is
imperative
to
seek
the
continual
breakdown
of
trade
barriers
so
that
the
free
movement
of
goods
can
take
place.
I
request
that
you
periodically
update
me
on
your
efforts
to
advocate
for
free
trade
policies
in
the
Administration
as
well
as
your
efforts
to
expand
American
agricultural
exports
abroad.
Finally,
please
accept
my
invitation
to
visit
the
state
of
Nebraska.
Our
farmers
and
ranchers
would
welcome
the
opportunity
to
meet
with
you
and
share
the
unique
opportunities
and
challenges
that
they
face
as
they
make
Nebraska
the
breadbasket
of
the
world.
I
look
forward
to
working
with
you
as
we
work
together
to
build
trade
networks
around
the
globe
and
support
America’s
agriculture
community
as
they
feed
a
growing
world.
I
pledge
to
fully
support
you
in
these
efforts
to
strongly
and
tenaciously
advocate
for
American
agriculture
and
the
expansion
of
our
exports
markets.
Thank
you
again
for
your
willingness
to
serve
as
Secretary
of
Agriculture
and
congratulations
on
your
confirmation.
Sincerely,
Ben
Sasse
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