Mike Levin: “Today I introduce a bill to grant normal trade treatment to the products of Ukraine. My brother, Congressman Sander…”

“Today I introduce a bill to grant normal trade treatment to the products of Ukraine. My brother, Congressman Sander Levin, has introduced an identical bill, H.R. 4723, in the House. It is our hope that enactment of this legislation will help to build stronger economic ties between the United States and Ukraine. The cold war era Jackson-Vanik immigration restrictions that deny most favored nation trade status to imports from former Soviet-Block countries are outdated and when applied to Ukraine, inappropriate. Those restrictions were established as a tool to pressure Communist nations to allow their people to freely emigrate in exchange for favorable trade treatment by the United States. Ukraine does allow its citizens the right and opportunity to emigrate. It has met the Jackson-Vanik test. In fact, Ukraine has been found to be in full compliance with the freedom of emigration requirements under the Jackson-Vanik law. Ukraine has been certified as meeting the Jackson-Vanik requirements on an annual basis since 1992 when a bilateral trade agreement went into effect. It is time the United States recognize this reality by eliminating the Jackson-Vanik restrictions and granting Ukraine normal trading status on a permanent basis. Our bill does this as well as addressing traditional Jackson-Vanik issues such as emigration, religious freedom, restoration of property, and human rights.”