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Jim Risch on Free Trade

Republican Jr Senator; previously Governor

 


Supported bill pushing back against China's trade practices

[Press release on U.S. Innovation and Competition Act, S.1260]: "This bipartisan effort ensures the United States is positioned to compete on a fair playing field globally, especially with China," said Crapo. "I secured inclusion of the Trade Act of 2021, a comprehensive trade bill to combat China's manufacturing imbalances, threats to free and fair trade, and illicit activity which undermine America's leadership in innovation. This bill and the broader U.S. Innovation and Competition Act will help stand up our efforts in pushing back against China."

"As I have said for years, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) presents a grave threat to U.S. values and interests, and its malign influence across the globe puts our own freedoms at risk here at home," said Risch. "My bipartisan Strategic Competition Act that provides a comprehensive approach so the US can begin to compete with China for decades to come. I will continue my work to combat malign CCP influence in the United States and abroad."

Source: 2021 Idaho Senate campaign website crapo.senate.gov , Jun 16, 2021

Re-establish Fast Track; re-negotiate NAFTA

Q: Would you vote to reestablish Trade Promotion Authority or “Fast Track” authority to allow the next President to negotiate new trade agreements and require Congress to consider them in a timely manner?

A: Yes.

Q: Would you vote to oppose the renegotiation of the existing North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA)?

A: No.

Source: BIPAC 2008 Senate Candidate Questionnaire , Nov 1, 2008

Insist on access to post-mad-cow Japanese beef markets.

Risch signed S.RES.452 & H.RES.1196

    Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that--
  1. it is not in the interest of either the US or Japan to arbitrarily restrict market access for their close partners;
  2. trade between the US and Japan should be conducted with mutual respect and based on sound science;
  3. since banning US beef in Dec. 2003, Japan has not treated US beef producers fairly;
  4. both Japan and the US should comply with guidelines based on sound science;
  5. Japan should immediately expand market access for US exporters of both bone-in and boneless beef beyond the existing standard of beef from cattle 20 months and younger; and
  6. the President should insist on increased access for US exporters of beef and beef products to the market in Japan.
Source: Resolution on Japanese trade 10-SR452 on Mar 11, 2010

Voted YES to kill reauthorization of Ex-Im Bank.

Risch voted YEA Export-Import Bank Reform and Reauthorization Act

Heritage Action summary of vote# S206: The Senate voted to table (kill) an amendment by Sen. Kirk to reauthorize the Export-Import Bank. Sen. Kirk recommends voting NO. Heritage Foundation recommends voting YES because the "Ex-Im Bank is little more than a $140 billion slush fund for corporate welfare."

OnTheIssues explanation: Voting NO would allow a vote on reauthorization of the Ex-Im Bank. Voting YES would kill the bill for reauthorizing the Ex-Im Bank.

Sierra Club reason for conditionally voting NO (from previous bill S.819):Sen. Shaheen's bill S.824 reauthorizes the Ex-Im Bank without undermining Obama's Climate Action Plan. The Sierra Club supports the bill because it makes both financial and environmental sense for the US and all of its taxpayer-backed financial institutions--including Ex-Im--to stop investing in dirty and dangerous fossil fuels like coal.

Cato Institute reason for voting YES to kill the bill:The Ex-Im Bank's reauthorization buffs contend that Ex-Im fills a void left by private sector lenders unwilling to provide financing for certain transactions. Ex-Im's critics [say that] by effectively superseding risk-based decision-making with the choices of a handful of bureaucrats pursuing political objectives, Ex-Im risks taxpayer dollars. It turns out that for nearly every Ex-Im financing authorization that might advance the fortunes of a single US company, there is at least one US industry whose firms are put at a competitive disadvantage. These are the unseen consequences of Ex-Im's mission.

Source: Congressional vote 15-S0995 on Oct 19, 2015

Implement USMCA for improved North American trade.

Risch voted YEA USMCA Implementation Act

Summary from Congressional Record and Wikipedia:Vote to amend the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and establish the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). Rather than a wholly new agreement, it has been characterized as "NAFTA 2.0"; final terms were negotiated on September 30, 2018 by each country. The agreement is scheduled to come into effect on July 1, 2020.

Case for voting YES by Rep. Charlie Crist (D-FL); (Dec. 19, 2019)The USMCA includes stronger protections for American workers and enforceable labor standards, as well as environmental protections. It eliminates the Trump Administration's threat that the US could walk away entirely from the trade agreement with Canada and Mexico, which would devastate US jobs and our economy.

Case for voting NO by Jared Huffman (D-CA); (Dec. 19, 2019) Democratic negotiators did a lot to improve Donald Trump's weak trade deal, especially in terms of labor standards and enforcement, but the final deal did not reach the high standard that I had hoped for. The NAFTA renegotiations were a once-in-a-generation opportunity to lift labor and environmental standards across the continent--to lock in serious climate commitments with two of our largest trading partners and dramatically improve labor standards and enforcement to slow the rise of outsourcing.

Legislative outcome: Bill Passed (Senate) (89-10-1) - Jan. 16, 2020; bill Passed (House) (385-41-5) - Dec. 19, 2019; signed at the G20 Summit simultaneously by President Trump, Mexican President Enrique Nieto, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Nov. 30, 2018

Source: Congressional vote 19-HR5430 on Dec 19, 2019

Rated 38% by the USAE, indicating support for trade sanctions.

Risch scores 38% by USA*Engage on trade issues

Ratings by USA*Engage indicate support for trade engagement or trade sanctions. The organization's self-description: "USA*Engage is concerned about the proliferation of unilateral foreign policy sanctions at the federal, state and local level. Despite the fact that broad trade-based unilateral sanctions rarely achieve our foreign policy goals, they continue to have political appeal. Unilateral sanctions give the impression that the United States is 'doing something,' while American workers, farmers and businesses absorb the costs."

VoteMatch scoring for the USA*Engage ratings is as follows :

Source: USA*Engage 2011-2012 ratings on Congress and politicians 2012-USAE on Dec 31, 2012

Other candidates on Free Trade: Jim Risch on other issues:
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Brad Little
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Darren Bailey
Ed Humphreys
Janice McGeachin
Paulette Jordan
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Russ Fulcher
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ID Senatorial:
Jerry Sturgill
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Page last updated: Jan 13, 2022