WASHINGTON D.C. – Congresswoman Carol Miller (R-WV) joined Ways and Means colleague Congresswoman Stephanie Murphy (D-FL) in sending a bipartisan letter urging United States Trade Representative (USTR) Ambassador Katherine Tai to prioritize trade agreements in the Indo-Pacific. The letter specifically calls on the Biden Administration to negotiate market access provisions through trade agreements in the Indo-Pacific as swiftly as possible and protect the competitiveness of American products in the region.

The letter reads in part, "As bipartisan Members of Congress who support deepening our economic and trade engagement in the Indo-Pacific region, we encourage you to negotiate market access provisions through trade agreements with friends and partners in the Indo-Pacific as swiftly as possible.

"The Indo-Pacific accounts for $1.75 trillion in annual trade with the United States, receives 30 percent of U.S. goods and services exports, and supports millions of American jobs. More specifically, the Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) constitute America’s 2nd largest export destination in Asia ($94 billion in 2021) and U.S.-ASEAN trade is expected to grow by 4 to 5 percent annually. These countries offer major opportunities for American-made goods and services."

The letter was also signed by Reps. Adrian Smith (R-NE), Brad Wenstrup (R-OH), Ann Wagner (R-MO), Darin LaHood (R-IL), Ken Buck (R-CO), Blake Moore (R-UT), Young Kim (R-CA), Steve Chabot (R-OH), and Gregory F. Murphy (R-NC).

Click here to read the full letter.

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Original source can be found here.