Maine Delegation Asks USTR to Make Lobster Promises Public

The members of the Maine delegation -- Sens. Susan Collins, a Republican, and Angus King, an Independent; and Democratic House members Chellie Pingree and Jared Golden -- sent a letter to the U.S. trade representative asking that he reveal the dollar value of China's purchase promises for U.S. lobster. Lobster sales to China fell after retaliatory tariffs of 25 percent on the shellfish in response to the first round of Section 301 tariffs.

The lawmakers said it would be easier to know if China is living up to its promises if they have the dollar amount. “As you well know, China has a history of not upholding its trade agreements, and China has repeatedly broken its commitments under bilateral and multi-lateral agreements that it concluded as it acceded to the World Trade Organization ('WTO'). Indeed, these broken promises comprise the very basis upon which the President has rested his Chinese trade policy,” they wrote.