CPA Colorado Chapter Achieves State Resolution on Trade

The following article originally appeared on TradeReform.org.

The Colorado Chapter of the Coalition for a Prosperous America (CPA) helped persuade both Houses of the Colorado State Legislature to adopt a resolution supporting new trade policies to balance America's trade deficit. The resolution called change in policies that have handicapped American manufacturing and agricultural producers and resulted in massive job losses and stagnant wages.

"We were stunned by the overwhelming support given by our Colorado political leadership for common sense policies to reduce the U.S. trade deficit," said Tom Neppl, CPA board member and President of Springs Fabrication, Inc. in Colorado Springs. "America cannot recover from the Great Recession unless we balance our trade deficit so that we no longer consume more than we produce."

The resolution was adopted unanimously in the state Senate on March 4, 2010 one day after overwhelming passage in the state House of Representatives. The local chapter of the National Federation of Independent Businesses was instrumental in assisting the process.

"The resolution makes clear that the trade deficit has undermined family sustaining jobs and investment, which cause us to be a debt driven economy," continued Neppl. "The U.S. can be a world leader in production of goods and food, but unfair foreign trade practices like currency manipulation and foreign border taxes are not addressed by our Washington leadership. Political leaders and the Obama Administration need to change course from past trade policies to address these new challenges so America can prosper."

The resolution also called for all new trade agreements to require foreign countries to drop trade barriers, instead of the U.S. unilaterally dropping its barriers. This is in recognition of the fact that U.S. negotiators have often promised foreign market access that did not materialize. Also, the resolution supports the aggressive enforcement of trade rules so that we can neutralize foreign subsidies, intellectual property theft and below cost dumping of goods.

"All Senators and Representatives that represent Colorado in Washington should now have received the message that they must prioritize these issues if they want support from voters," said Neppl.

The agriculture, manufacturing, and organized labor members of CPA will keep the pressure on Congress and the Obama Administration, both in Washington and in Colorado, to hold them accountable during the 2010 election season.

CPA is a national, nonprofit organization representing the interests of 2.6 million citizens through its farmer, rancher, manufacturing and organized labor association and company members. CPA works for a new and positive U.S. trade policy that delivers prosperity and security to America, its citizens, farms, factories and working people.