Senate Finance Chair Baucus Visits Russia to Discuss Trade, WTO Accession

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) traveled to Russia during February 17-21, 2012 to meet with senior government officials and discuss economic, trade, and foreign affairs issues, including Russia’s impending WTO accession, and to pursue new trade opportunities for U.S. businesses, ranchers and farmers. According to his office, Baucus, along with his fellow trade leaders in Congress, has insisted on holding Russia to a high standard through the WTO accession process to guarantee that American ranchers, farmers, workers, and businesses benefit. WTO members formally invited Russia to join the WTO in December 2011.

(See ITT’s Online Archive 11121625 for summary of USTR press release announcing WTO invitation to Russia. See ITT’s Online Archives 11122001 for ITA report on opportunities and benefits provided by Russia’s WTO accession. See ITT’s Online Archives 11122224 for summary of remarks by USTR sources, echoed by Baucus’s office, on economic consequences if Congress does not extend permanent normal trading relations to Russia.)

See press releases from Senator Baucus’ Office here (dated 02/17/12), here (dated 02/20/12), and here (02/21/12) providing details of the trip.