Bill Text: NJ AR12 | 2014-2015 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Memorializes Congress and the President to reform federal trade policy.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Republican 4-1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-01-16 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Labor Committee [AR12 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2014-AR12-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
216th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2014 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblywoman ALISON LITTELL MCHOSE
District 24 (Morris, Sussex and Warren)
Assemblyman THOMAS P. GIBLIN
District 34 (Essex and Passaic)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblymen C.A.Brown and Space
SYNOPSIS
Memorializes Congress and the President to reform federal trade policy.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel
An Assembly Resolution memorializing Congress and the President to reform federal trade policy.
Whereas, New Jersey seeks to maximize the benefits and minimize the negative effects of international trade; and
Whereas, Existing trade agreements have effects that extend significantly beyond the bounds of traditional trade matters, such as tariffs and quotas, and that can undermine New Jersey's constitutionally guaranteed authority to protect the public health, safety and welfare; and
Whereas, Over the years, federal trade negotiators from both political parties have failed to operate in a transparent manner and have failed to meaningfully consult with the states on the far-reaching effects of trade agreements on state and local laws, even when obligating the states to the terms of these agreements; and
Whereas, The Federal Government's current process of consultation with the states on trade policy fails to permit the states to meaningfully participate in the development of trade policy, despite the fact that trade rules have often undermined state and national sovereignty; and
Whereas, Under current trade rules, states do not have channels for meaningful communication with the United States Trade Representative, as both the Intergovernmental Policy Advisory Committee on Trade and the state point of contact system have not permitted sufficient input from states, and states are often denied a partnership role in shaping the federal trade polices which affect them; and
Whereas, The President of the United States, the United States Trade Representative and the New Jersey Congressional Delegation will each have a role in shaping future trade policy; now, therefore
Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The Congress and the President of the United States are respectfully memorialized to reform trade policy: to improve the process of consultation between the federal government and the states; to provide for state input into trade negotiations by allowing a state to give informed consent or to opt out if bound by nontariff provisions in a trade agreement and providing that a state is not bound to those provisions without consent from its legislature; to provide state-level economic analysis of trade data and legal analysis on the effect of trade on state laws; to form a new nonpartisan federal-state international trade policy commission to keep states informed about ongoing negotiations and information; to require the United States Trade Representative to communicate with states in better ways than the current insufficient state point of contact system; and to provide that no state law subject to trade agreement provisions regarding investment, procurement, or services may be challenged by a foreign company or country as an unfair barrier to trade unless the state specifically makes the law subject to such challenges.
2. Duly authenticated copies of this resolution, signed by the Speaker of the General Assembly and attested by the Clerk thereof, shall be transmitted to the President of the United States, the United States Trade Representative, the presiding officers of the United States Senate and the House of Representatives, and to each member of Congress elected from the State of New Jersey.
STATEMENT
This resolution memorializes Congress and the President to reform federal trade policy in a manner which:
1. Improves the process of consultation between the Federal Government and the states;
2. Provides for state input into trade negotiations by allowing a state to give informed consent or to opt out if bound by nontariff provisions in a trade agreement and providing that a state is not bound to those provisions without consent from its legislature;
3. Provides state-level economic analysis of trade data and legal analysis on the effect of trade on state laws;
4. Forms a new nonpartisan federal-state international trade policy commission to keep states informed about ongoing negotiations and information;
5. Requires the United States Trade Representative to communicate with states in better ways than the current, insufficient state point of contact system; and
6. Provides that no state law subject to trade agreement provisions regarding investment, procurement, or services may be challenged by a foreign company or country as an unfair barrier to trade unless the state specifically makes the law subject to such challenges.
