U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan is all for free trade agreements with other nations.
But, as the federal government negotiates a massive new 12-nation free trade deal with Pacific nations, the Longboat Key Republican is unquestionably uneasy about how fair the deal really will be for American businesses.
During a key committee hearing on Capitol Hill earlier this month, Buchanan was aggressive in pressing U.S. Trade Ambassador Mike Froman for assurances that whatever happens in the negotiations with the Pacific nations, specifically with Japan, it will bring protections for U.S. businesses.
"Everybody has got access here," Buchanan said of U.S. markets. "But we don't have the same access in those markets."
Froman assured Buchanan that reducing barriers for U.S. exports into other nations would be a critical element of any deal.
Froman is a key player in negotiating the Trans Pacific Partnership agreement, which has been in the works for five years. But Japan has become a major sticking point in negotiations because of its insistence on continuing tariffs on key agriculture products and its poor history in opening up its markets to U.S. automakers.
For every one car American makers sell in Japan, Japan sells 120 of their automobiles in the U.S., according to Congress.
Besides Japan and the United States, the TPP agreement would include Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam.