Presidential Politics Slowing PNTR for Russia, Says Roskam

Granting Russia Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) status and repealing the Jackson-Vanick amendment, which limits trade with communist countries, is being held up by "presidential politics at this point," said Rep. Peter Roskam (R-Ill.), speaking at the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association (NCBFAA) Government Affairs conference Sept. 11. Roskam, who sits on the House Ways and Means Committee, expects "that it will get done," but every day "we wait is a day that American companies are disadvantaged as they are pursuing the Russian marketplace," he said.

(See ITT's Online Archives 12080629 for summary of House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) saying he planned for the House to consider PNTR legislation in September.)