Kentucky Chamber advocates for international trade and federal issues

The Kentucky Chamber joined with the U.S. Chamber and Kentucky business leaders to promote international trade and other important issues directly to members of Kentucky’s Congressional delegation. Senior Vice President Bryan Sunderland spent Tuesday and Wednesday meeting with staff for Senators McConnell and Paul offering the Chamber’s strong support for Trade Promotion Authority (TPA), which would give the President negotiation authority to open new markets for U.S. and Kentucky goods.

“International trade supports over 500,000 Kentucky jobs,” Sunderland said. “New trade deals mean more jobs in Kentucky. The Trade Promotion Authority bill moving its rough Congress sets up a framework to negotiate deals that protect and grow jobs at home. The purpose is to break down barriers to products made in America and made in Kentucky.”

For trade advocates, this was a roller coaster week. On Tuesday, it appeared Senate Democrats dealt President Obama a blow by refusing to support cloture, a procedural move to allow the bill to move forward. By Wednesday, Senator McConnell announced a deal to overcome what the President described as a procedural snafu.

McConnell thanked President Obama for his support and described the plan forward to pass the trade deal. “Under our plan, the Senate will avoid the poison pills that had been floated in favor of the very type of bipartisan approach we’ve been advocating for all along. It follows regular order. It allows Senators to express themselves without endangering more American trade jobs for the people we represent.”

While in Washington, Sunderland joined other Kentucky business leaders on a trip organized by Greater Louisville, Inc. where he met with Congressmen Yarmuth, Rogers and Massie discussing reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank, Federal road funding and a number of other issues. He also joined top officials with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to help secure Congressional support for business issues.

The Kentucky Chamber is the only business organization advocating for all Kentucky employers at the state and federal level.

The Kentucky Chamber is asking its membership to contact their Congressman to help achieve our goal of free trade.