Underscoring Bipartisan Support for Russia PNTR, USRBC and Coalition for U.S.-Russia Trade Urge Action to Keep U.S. Business Competitive in Growing Russian Market
WASHINGTON, Sept. 19, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- With Congress leaving town this week and not returning until after the November election, the U.S.-Russia Business Council (USRBC) (www.usrbc.org) and the broad-based business coalition it leads, the Coalition for U.S.-Russia Trade (www.usrussiatrade.org), called on the President and the Congress to stand together after the November elections and work to enact Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) with Russia.
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USRBC President Ed Verona noted, "Russia entered the WTO on August 22, and right now our companies are not operating with the same set of protections in the Russian market as our foreign competitors. Without PNTR, we have no way to take advantage of the many new market-opening measures in Russia or to enforce our commercial rights under WTO rules. We urge the White House and Congress to provide the leadership necessary to remove Russia from the provisions of the Jackson-Vanik amendment and enact PNTR with Russia as soon as possible after the November election."
Noting the strong bipartisan support the Coalition for U.S.-Russia Trade has encountered in hundreds of meetings on Capitol Hill this year, Randi Levinas, the Coalition Executive Director, noted, "We know the votes for passage of Russia PNTR are there. These are Republican and Democratic votes, because passage of PNTR is the right thing to do for U.S. business, U.S. jobs and the U.S. economy. We are eager to finish this piece of overdue business, working together with the Administration and Congress, so that U.S. business can compete and win in the world's 9th largest economy."
The U.S.-Russia Business Council (USRBC) represents the interests of its 250 U.S. and Russian member companies, providing business development and government relations support in both Moscow and Washington. The USRBC supports Russia's integration into the global economy and serves as the Secretariat for the Coalition for U.S.-Russia Trade. For more information, visit www.usrbc.org.
The Coalition for U.S.-Russia Trade is a broad-based group of approximately 150 U.S. corporations, trade associations and small businesses actively seeking to increase U.S. exports and jobs through increased trade with Russia. The Coalition is committed to ensuring the enactment of PNTR with Russia to preserve the competitiveness of U.S. firms, farmers and workers in the Russian market. For more information, visit www.usrussiatrade.org.
SOURCE U.S.-Russia Business Council and Coalition for U.S.-Russia Trade
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