Trade Stakeholders Express Support for Legislation to Terminate Jackson-Vanik Application to Russia

On June 12, 2012 a bipartisan group of senators proposed legislation to terminate the application to Russia of the Jackson-Vanik Amendment. The Jackson-Vanik Amendment is a 1970s-era provision that conditions U.S. trade relations with specific countries on their meeting certain requirements, including allowing free emigration. The conditions in the Jackson-Vanik Amendment would prevent the U.S. from extending unconditional permanent normal trade relations to Russia as required by the WTO Agreement.

Passing the proposed legislation will clear the path for U.S. businesses, farmers, and workers to have the same access to Russia’s markets as their foreign competitors, and will position those same stakeholders to reap the full benefits of Russia’s upcoming WTO membership.

Included below are statements of support from a wide range of trade stakeholders:

Boeing

Business Roundtable

Distilled Spirits Council

Emergency Committee for American Trade

General Electric

Governors from Washington, South Dakota, Arkansas, Michigan, Iowa, North Dakota, Utah, Georgia, Connecticut, South Carolina, Delaware, Alabama, Mississippi, and Vermont

National Association of Manufacturers

National Center for APEC

TechAmerica

U.S. Commerce Department

U.S. Council for International Business