State of Idaho Archives: on Free Trade


Brad Little: New trade agreement with Canada & Mexico good for Idaho

Last month, the country took a critical step toward helping us secure future jobs and economic prosperity in Idaho. Congress finally ratified President Trump's trade agreement with two of Idaho's biggest export markets--Canada and Mexico. I strongly supported the deal because it preserves and enhances critical gains made in previous trade agreements for Idaho products. Our farmers and agriculture industry have good reason to rejoice for this important agreement making it across the finish line.
Source: 2020 Idaho State of the State address Jan 6, 2020

Dirk Kempthorne: Double Idaho’s exports

The Advisory Committee on International Trade is working to develop a strategic plan to expand Idaho’s trading opportunities. We are making progress. When I took office, I challenged [our state government] to double the value of Idaho’s exports by the end of 2002. Since January of 1999, we’ve seen a 61-percent increase in export value - more than a billion dollars. Canada; Mexico; Asia - we’ve already been there. And we literally have kicked open the doors in these markets.
Source: 2001 State of the State address to the Idaho legislature Jan 8, 2001

Jerry Sturgill: His company recognized as "Cross-Border Deal of the Year"

In 2010, Jerry became a Managing Director of Headwaters MB, a Denver-based financial services firm. Headwaters advises entrepreneurs, corporations and business-owning families to help them grow, recapitalize, and otherwise achieve their financial goals. In each of the last two years Headwaters was named firm of the year by the M&A Atlas. In 2012, Jerry advised on the acquisition of a Swiss defense electronics firm in a transaction recognized by The M&A Advisor as a "Cross-Border Deal of the Year."
Source: 2016 Idaho Senate campaign website, Sturgill4Senate.com Aug 8, 2016

Jim Risch: Supported bill pushing back against China's trade practices

[Press release on U.S. Innovation and Competition Act, S.1260]: "This bipartisan effort ensures the United States is positioned to compete on a fair playing field globally, especially with China," said Crapo. "I secured inclusion of the Trade Act of 2021, a comprehensive trade bill to combat China's manufacturing imbalances, threats to free and fair trade, and illicit activity which undermine America's leadership in innovation. This bill and the broader U.S. Innovation and Competition Act will help stand up our efforts in pushing back against China."

"As I have said for years, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) presents a grave threat to U.S. values and interests, and its malign influence across the globe puts our own freedoms at risk here at home," said Risch. "My bipartisan Strategic Competition Act that provides a comprehensive approach so the US can begin to compete with China for decades to come. I will continue my work to combat malign CCP influence in the United States and abroad."

Source: 2021 Idaho Senate campaign website crapo.senate.gov Jun 16, 2021

Nels Mitchell: End tax breaks for shipping American jobs overseas

Nels Mitchell today condemned Jim Risch's vote to kill a bill that would have ended tax breaks for shipping American jobs overseas. This is the 2nd time in the last 3 years Risch has helped block efforts to close this loophole.

The Bring Jobs Home Act would have offered an incentive for bringing jobs back to America and eliminated the tax break received by American companies for sending jobs overseas. "I can imagine that Washington lobbyists and special interests are happy with Risch's vote," Mitchell said, "but Idahoans should be angry. Idaho jobs will continue to go overseas, and Idaho taxpayers will continue to foot the bill. That's just plain wrong. Idaho lost more than 18,000 jobs to China alone during one ten year period."

Mitchell pointed out that on his website, Risch claims to support job growth. "Maybe he means job growth in Asia," Mitchell said, "because that's what his vote yesterday does. It hurts job growth at home and promotes outsourcing of American jobs to China and elsewhere."

Source: Nels Mitchell press release 2014 Idaho Senate race Aug 1, 2014

Paulette Jordan: Farmers want trade, not government bailouts

Our own Senator Risch holds a top position on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, where he had the power to prevent these gouges to Idaho farming, but instead swept things under the rug and made farming dependent on USDA bailouts, which haven't even begun to cover the losses our farmers suffered from U.S. trade wars with countries like Mexico and China. It's time to wake up and realize that Idaho farmers are suffering, and without better foreign policy, they stand to lose everything.
Source: 2020 Idaho Senate campaign website PauletteForSenate.com Jun 29, 2020

  • The above quotations are from State of Idaho Politicians: Archives.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Free Trade.
  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
2016 Presidential contenders on Free Trade:
  Republicans:
Gov.Jeb Bush(FL)
Dr.Ben Carson(MD)
Gov.Chris Christie(NJ)
Sen.Ted Cruz(TX)
Carly Fiorina(CA)
Gov.Jim Gilmore(VA)
Sen.Lindsey Graham(SC)
Gov.Mike Huckabee(AR)
Gov.Bobby Jindal(LA)
Gov.John Kasich(OH)
Gov.Sarah Palin(AK)
Gov.George Pataki(NY)
Sen.Rand Paul(KY)
Gov.Rick Perry(TX)
Sen.Rob Portman(OH)
Sen.Marco Rubio(FL)
Sen.Rick Santorum(PA)
Donald Trump(NY)
Gov.Scott Walker(WI)
Democrats:
Gov.Lincoln Chafee(RI)
Secy.Hillary Clinton(NY)
V.P.Joe Biden(DE)
Gov.Martin O`Malley(MD)
Sen.Bernie Sanders(VT)
Sen.Elizabeth Warren(MA)
Sen.Jim Webb(VA)

2016 Third Party Candidates:
Gov.Gary Johnson(L-NM)
Roseanne Barr(PF-HI)
Robert Steele(L-NY)
Dr.Jill Stein(G,MA)
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Page last updated: Feb 18, 2023