Trade Rep. to Get Tough on Labor, Environment

Ron Kirk, President Obama's nominee for U.S. Trade Representative, told the Senate Finance Committee yesterday that the Obama administration will take a tougher line on trade agreements, putting more emphasis on labor and environmental issues. "We're not going to do deals just for doing deals," he said. "Not all Americans are winning from (trade agreements). Our trading partners are not always playing by the rules."

Kirk said during the 45-minute hearing that he would review previous agreements arranged by the Bush administration, including an agreement with South Korea. He said, "The agreement as it is just simply isn't fair, and if we don't get that right we'll be prepared to step away from that."

Senators in both parties lauded Kirk, a lawyer who was mayor of Dallas during the 1990s. No one asked Kirk about tax errors uncovered during his vetting process that prompted Kirk to pay the IRS an extra $10,000. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, who defeated Kirk for the Senate seat in 2002, said he was "very troubled" initially by the tax problems but he called Kirk "a good choice for American exporters and consumers."

Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa, the leading Republican on the committee, reiterated his early comments that it was risky to reopen NAFTA talks. Grassley also asked Kirk for a commitment that he won't raise tariffs on farm products. In response, Kirk said, "We will proceed as the president has directed, in a collaborative way with Mexico and Canada to see where we can strengthen that agreement. I don't see the levying of additional tariffs as being in the category of strengthening that agreement."

The committee could vote to approve Kirk nomination as U.S. trade representative later this week. After that, Kirk is expected to be confirmed by the full Senate.