Today, Ed Gresser, Vice President and Director for Trade and Global Markets at the Progressive Policy Institute (PPI), testified during the U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means Subcommittee on Trade hearing on reforming the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP). Gresser oversaw this program from 2015 to 2021, as the Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Trade Policy and Economics at the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR).
GSP is a 50-year-old set of tariff waivers for 119 low- and middle-income countries, from small Pacific and Caribbean islands to larger countries, such as Brazil and Pakistan. In exchange for waiving tariffs on about 3,600 goods, GSP imposes a list of 15 eligibility criteria ranging from market access to labor standards, resource cartels, and intellectual property rights.
In his testimony, Gresser argues that Congress should reauthorize the program, which lapsed in 2020, and proposes updated improvements to better serve Congress’ top policy goals.
“GSP plays an important role in development and poverty alleviation as countries across the world diversify their economies and create new job opportunities. GSP also helps the U.S. government achieve policy goals in a number of important areas and provides options for American buyers hoping to diversify sourcing beyond China,” said Ed Gresser. “I hope Congress will quickly reauthorize GSP, as it works to improve and update the program.”
You can watch Gresser’s testimony here.
The Progressive Policy Institute (PPI) is a catalyst for policy innovation and political reform based in Washington, D.C., with offices in Brussels, Berlin and the United Kingdom. Its mission is to create radically pragmatic ideas for moving America beyond ideological and partisan deadlock. Learn more about PPI by visiting progressivepolicy.org
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Media Contact: Amelia Fox, afox@ppionline.org
