Weak Digital Trade Rules are Party Poopers for Both Parties

Republicans and Democrats alike have found common-ground on a pro-business issue: strong digital trade rules. At a September 20 hearing of the House of Ways & Means Trade Subcommittee, Democratic and Republican lawmakers joined with business and civil society leaders in voicing support for strong digital trade rules to protect American companies and innovators. Digital trade is a big industry; it directly supports more than three million U.S. jobs in a variety of sectors and adds over $2.6 trillion to the U.S. economy annually.

However, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) has undermined American leadership on digital trade and threatened the continued success of U.S. businesses and the workers they employ by rescinding support for digital trade rules that have strong bipartisan backing, as members from both parties and witnesses emphasized at the hearing.

WY We Care: Your Wyoming Chamber of Commerce is an advocate for strong digital trade rules, and it’s an issue that we, along with many other chambers across the nation, are fighting in favor of. We will continue to work with the U.S. Chamber and other pro-business groups to make steps towards more effective, stronger digital trade rules.