RVIA announced it has made available a report from its federal lobbying firm on potential outcomes from the 2020 elections.
The report, titled “Election Report 2020,” was prepared by Polsinelli. Polsinelli’s bipartisan Public Policy group in Washington and their policy experts across the country are helping their clients, including RVIA, engage Washington’s decision-makers, RVIA stated.
“In the 117th Congress, policymakers will push major proposals in the areas of healthcare, economic stimulus, energy and environmental reform, infrastructure, among others,” the report stated. “Importantly, we also expect social justice, voting rights and policing reforms to play a major role as key policy proposals are well shaped and debated. With Democrats securing control of the White House and House of Representatives, and Republicans well-positioned to maintain control of the Senate, securing bipartisan support for priority issues will be key to their advancement.”
The report discussed the results of the elections, potential policy focuses during the lame-duck session, and what it expects from a new administration in 2021.
Its section on trade and tariffs stated Polsinelli expects the administration of President-Elect Joe Biden to “cooperate with U.S. allies to counter unfair trade practices from countries like China, as opposed to the (President Donald) Trump Administration’s ‘America First’ approach. Both parties supported the integration of low-wage developing countries into the global economy for decades before President Trump took office.”
The average U.S. tariff on Chinese products today is at its highest level in at least 40 years.
“Navigating this landscape will be a challenge,” the report stated. “President-elect Biden has said he will insist on ‘strong rules of origin’ in any new trade deal, which would require more manufacturing in the U.S. while complicating corporate planning. He has vowed to crack down on provisions of the tax code that encourage outsourcing.”
On Section 301 and 232 tariffs, the report stated, “We expect a Biden Administration to work alongside U.S. allies to pressure China and some U.S. allies to adopt more market-friendly trade practices.”
On free trade agreements, the report noted the U.S. had two which might come up in the next year, with the United Kingdom and the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
“We expect the Biden Administration to pursue strong environmental and labor provisions in any new free trade agreements, as seen in the negotiations of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement,” the report stated.
To view the full report click here.
