WASHINGTON, D.C. - Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee Chairman Sander M. Levin (D-MI) issued the following statement in response to today’s signing of the U.S. - Canada agreement on government procurement:
“The past decade has shown that one-way trade does not work. We must condition access to the U.S. market on our exporters gaining access to foreign markets. President Obama has reminded us recently of the importance of ‘reciprocity’ in U.S. trade policy, and this agreement with Canada puts that principle into action. Some have described the so-called ‘Buy America’ provisions in the Recovery Act as ‘protectionism.’ But this agreement shows just the opposite is true. The United States has been trying, unsuccessfully, for 15 years to open the Canadian provinces to U.S. suppliers. The Buy America provisions in the Recovery Act finally brought Canada to the negotiating table. I applaud the Administration’s work in concluding this agreement with Canada."
