Senate Finance Ranking Member Concerned Over Rumored Trade Agency Merge
On August 24, 2011, Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Hatch (R) sent a letter to the President demanding that the Administration fully brief Congress on its proposal to reorganize federal agencies involved in trade and exports.
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(In early 2011, the President announced that he would send proposal to Congress to merge, consolidate, and reorganize federal agencies to increase competitiveness, beginning with the agencies and functions that support trade, exports, and overall U.S. competitiveness. According to Hatch, one press source has indicated that the Administration may decide to merge the Commerce Department, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, and part of the State Department into a new agency which could be called the “Department of Jobs” or the “Department of Competitiveness” as part of release of its upcoming jobs plan.)
Hatch Calls for Submission of Pending FTAs Instead of New Agency
According to Hatch, the Administration has not sufficiently consulted Congress on its plans and instead of relying on a new federal bureaucracy to enhance competitiveness, such as a “Department of Jobs” or “Department of Competitiveness,” the President should immediately submit the pending free trade agreements with Korea, Colombia, and Panama.
Hatch is Concerned About Possible Plans to Merge USTR with Other Agencies
Hatch expressed concern about any proposals to place the USTR into any other agency, noting that the USTR is small, but highly effective, and one of the “few bright spots in an otherwise bloated bureaucracy.”