Lankford, Lee, Colleagues Introduce US-UK Free Trade Resolution

WASHINGTON, DC– Senator James Lankford (R-OK) joined Senators Mike Lee (R-UT), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Mike Braun (R-IN), and Rick Scott (R-FL) to introduce a resolution recognizing the mutual history and special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom, and expressing the sense of the Senate that the United States President should lay the groundwork for a mutually advantageous future trade agreement between the US and the UK. 

“The United Kingdom is one of our nation’s most important and reliable trading partners,” said Lankford. “The Biden Administration should not delay to complete talks with the United Kingdom on our trade agreements to provide certainty for Oklahomans and Oklahoma businesses. Americans are eager to have a comprehensive Free Trade Agreement with our oldest ally and expand transatlantic business opportunities.”

“For more than 100 years, throughout times of change and tumult, the US and the UK have been staunch and stalwart allies in the fight to combat terrorism, and to secure freedom, peace, and prosperity,” said Lee. “In the post-pandemic economic and geopolitical climate, and with the UK’s newfound ability to negotiate independent free trade deals, the American and British peoples have the opportunity to once again join forces. This resolution would strengthen our special relationship and economic partnership, for the benefit of our nations and nations across the globe.”

“The United States and United Kingdom have been allies for generations, and successfully negotiating a trade agreement between our two nations will build on that strong relationship,” said Moran. “A trade deal that increases economic commerce between our countries by reducing trade barriers, increasing investments and modernizing our trading relationship will benefit American producers and consumers, including Kansas farmers, ranchers and manufacturers.”

“The United States and the United Kingdom have always had a special relationship and a shared history that reveals itself today in our strong economic partnership and allyship in the fight against terrorism,” said Braun. “With the UK newly independent from the European Union, the UK and the US can now strengthen that special relationship through mutually beneficial trade agreements.”

“The United States and United Kingdom have a unique opportunity to grow our economies and cement a free and equitable trade agreement,” said Scott. “As our nations face growing threats, including that of Communist China, we must work together and stand united for freedom and democracy. Our resolution stresses the need for a strong free-trade agreement with one of our nation’s greatest allies, and urges President Biden to pursue this great opportunity and reach a deal that is positive for both our nations. 

The resolution would help further strengthen the already-robust trading relationship between the US and the UK. In 2019, the total Anglo-American trade in goods and services was $273 billion, and the UK was the US’s seventh largest trading partner in goods. Additionally, the UK market’s appetite for US-made goods is flourishing. The United States held a $21.8 billion total trade surplus with the UK in 2019, and American exports of goods and services to the UK supported an estimated 665,000 US jobs in 2015.

The full bill text can be found here.

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