Nebraska 3rd District Republican Congressman Adrian Smith of Gering is blasting the Biden Administration over a critical minerals agreement with Japan for electric vehicle battery development:
Smith, chairman of the House Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee, says while “traditional trade agreements bring long-term economic certainty and stability; this announcement fails to provide either.”
Smith says the administration “continues to hide behind executive authority rather than be accountable to Congress,” calling Congressionally-approved trade agreements “the strongest way to support American producers and consumers.”
The 9-term House member recently questioned both Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen and U-S Trade Representative Katherine Tai about the administration’s attempts to move forward with trade agreements without congressional approval and consultation.
Smith says Tai promised full transparency in this process, a promise he says the administration did not fulfill.
Smith says while he will always advocate for closer economic ties with our allies, the next step to grow trade relations with Japan should be a congressionally-approved and comprehensive trade agreement.