North American Deal
After the speech, Donohue expressed optimism about the chances for the new North American trade deal in Congress because it involves 14 million American jobs and the two largest U.S. export partners.
“If we can’t sell that, we better find another job,” he said.
He added that it was a mistake for the Trump administration to withdraw from the Transpacific Partnership, a 12-nation trade pact that Trump exited in his first days in office, but that he has a positive view of the ongoing negotiations with China to reach a deal that ends the trade war between the world’s two largest economies.
Donohue renewed the chamber’s call for the enactment this year of a major package to upgrade U.S. roads, bridges, and other public works -- a “major national priority” that he said needs to be treated with greater urgency.
Infrastructure Prizes
In 2018, the group called for raising federal fuel taxes by 25 cents per gallon over the next five years as the simplest, fairest and most straightforward way to raise more money, although the proposal has opponents. Donohue said he hasn’t heard many better ideas but announced a $25,000 prize for whoever “can come up with the best, most viable ideas for a long-term sustainable funding source for infrastructure.”
There would be enough bipartisan votes in the Democratic-led House and Republican-controlled Senate to pass a fuel-tax increase if a vote were held, Neil Bradley, the chamber’s executive vice president and chief policy officer, said after the speech.
“This is very much a doable thing if we can actually just get it to a vote,’’ said Bradley, a former top Republican congressional aide.
Drug Prices