USTR Budget Request Released

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) has released its Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Congressional Budget Justification, detailing the agency's budgetary needs and priorities for the coming year.

The budget justification outlines USTR's main priorities for FY 2024, which include promoting a worker-centered trade policy, enhancing economic and national security, addressing unfair foreign trade practices, and expanding US trade and investment opportunities. To achieve these goals, the agency is requesting a budget of $79.8 million, an increase of $4 million from the FY 2023 enacted level.

The two main line items, personnel and travel are little changed from FY 23 estimated spend, although comparisons to the prior year are stark.  FY 24 payroll is expected to be 23 percent higher than two years prior, while travel at $8.6 million is nearly three times that of FY 22.

One of USTR's top priorities is promoting a worker-centered trade policy that creates good-paying jobs and supports American businesses and workers. The agency plans to achieve this by negotiating trade agreements that prioritize labor standards, enforceable worker protections, and access to markets for US goods and services. USTR will also focus on addressing labor abuses and promoting sustainable development through its trade relationships with other countries.

Another key priority for USTR is enhancing economic and national security by addressing critical supply chain vulnerabilities and ensuring that US businesses have access to essential goods and services. The agency will work to reduce US reliance on foreign suppliers for critical materials and technology, while also promoting a level playing field for US businesses in global markets. This will involve addressing unfair trade practices by foreign governments, including intellectual property theft, forced technology transfer, and currency manipulation.

USTR also plans to expand US trade and investment opportunities by negotiating new trade agreements and expanding existing ones. The agency will prioritize negotiations with the Indo-Pacific region, including the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), which it hopes to join in the near future. USTR will also seek to strengthen existing trade relationships, such as with Canada and Mexico under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).

In addition to its priorities, the budget justification outlines USTR's budgetary needs for the coming year. The agency is requesting funding for a range of activities, including personnel expenses, travel, and IT infrastructure. USTR also plans to expand its trade enforcement activities by increasing staffing levels and resources for investigations and litigation.

The budget justification also highlights USTR's ongoing efforts to reform the World Trade Organization (WTO) and ensure that it remains a relevant and effective forum for international trade. USTR plans to continue advocating for WTO reform and pursuing cases against countries that violate WTO rules.