Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), a member of the Senate Finance Committee, joined U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), and Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) to introduce the Digital Trade Promotion Act, legislation to strengthen America’s global leadership in digital trade.
Digital trade is a driving force in our everyday economy, from the buying and selling of goods in online marketplaces to the digital services that enable smart manufacturing and modern agricultural practices. While the United States has historically led the development of rules and standards for digital trade, China continues to advance digital trade policies that would undermine American businesses and workers.
The Digital Trade Promotion Act would authorize the president to negotiate and enforce digital trade agreements with trusted partners and allies, thereby bolstering opportunities for businesses and workers, strengthening our economic security, and ensuring that American values power the digital world.
“The United States’ digital sector is the envy of the world, but we cannot allow China to write the rules of the road for the next generation of emerging technology,” said Bennet. “This legislation will ensure the U.S. can work closely with our allies and partners to establish a strong international framework for innovation and consumer protection in the digital age.”
“From farmers in Sussex to fintech startups in New Castle County, digital tools help every entrepreneur compete around the world. I’m proud to introduce the bipartisan Digital Trade Promotion Act to help businesses big and small compete on a level playing field and ensure the global rules of the road are rooted in American values of openness, transparency, and fairness,” said Coons.
“China and other strategic competitors are pushing digital regimes that create new barriers and tilt the field against U.S. companies and workers. To ensure American workers, businesses, and consumers can succeed in the digital age, we must cement U.S. leadership in the global digital economy,” said Young. “Negotiating more digital trade agreements with partners and allies will strengthen our economic security, spur more opportunities for Hoosiers, and secure America’s competitive edge.”
“Advancing the digital trade of goods and services positively impacts everyone across our state – from farmers and manufacturers to small businesses and consumers,” said Moran. “This legislation allows for greater executive authority to promote trade deals involving digital products and services, reducing digital trade barriers while allowing Congress to exercise necessary oversight of any agreement in order to make certain the American people are prioritized.”
Specifically, the Digital Trade Promotion Act would:
- Reaffirm that digital trade is critical to U.S. growth, jobs, competitiveness, and leadership, and that the United States should lead in setting high-standard rules with like-minded partners;
- Authorize the president, through the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), to negotiate, enter, and enforce digital trade agreements with trusted partners that meet specified rule-of-law, openness, and intellectual property protections;
- Require that any digital trade agreement cover all sectors and include the following key negotiating priorities: nondiscrimination for digital goods and services, bans on discriminatory digital taxes and data localization, free cross-border data flows, strong protections for source code and algorithms, interoperable privacy and consumer protections, AI and emerging-tech cooperation, cybersecurity cooperation, and support for open, voluntary international standards;
- Establish congressional oversight with advance notice, consultation during negotiations, a pre-signing report, and a defined review window in which Congress can block an agreement; and
- Direct USTR to monitor partner compliance on an ongoing basis and give the president tools to respond to violations, including suspending or withdrawing agreement benefits, negotiating corrective and compensatory arrangements, or taking other actions to push partners back into compliance.
Bennet has consistently fought to advance U.S. global leadership in trade and U.S. digital leadership. In October, Bennet joined U.S. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) to urge U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer to reverse the Trump Administration’s reckless plan to import more beef from Argentina. In April, Bennet joined U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), and bipartisan colleagues to introduce the Trade Review Act, legislation that would reestablish limits on the President’s ability to impose unilateral tariffs without Congress’ approval. In March, Bennet introduced legislation that would require the independent, bipartisan U.S. International Trade Commission to issue a report on the economic effects of recent and proposed tariffs. Bennet and U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) issued statements in both March and February warning against President Trump’s Canada and Mexico tariffs, which are a tax on American consumers and undermine crucial relationships with our neighbors and closest allies.
In January, Bennet urged the then-incoming Trump Administration to pursue an international economic policy that goes beyond broad-based tariffs to include additional policies – such as the CHIPS and Science Act and his and U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy’s (R-La.) Americas Act – to drive broad-based American growth, increase domestic and regional capacity, and protect U.S. national and economic security.
The text of the bill is available HERE. A summary of the bill is available HERE.
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