“Holding Russia to its promises as it enters the WTO and seeking a greater share of the Russian market is a one-way economic benefit for the United States and an absolute no-brainer,” he said.
“This trip will help lead Russia to end its unfair trade practices that hurt American businesses, ranchers and farmers.”
The trip takes Baucus to St. Petersburg and Moscow through Wednesday.
Russia was formally invited to join the WTO in December, and has until July 22 to accept a several-hundred-page report of rules it must follow.
In the meantime, Congress will need to provide permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) to Russia by waiving the Jackson-Vanik amendment — a 37-year-old provision crafted to put pressure on communist nations for human-rights abuses and immigration policies.
U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk recently told The Hill that he expects Russia to ratify the plan this summer.
“Ideally, Congress will act between now and the summer,” he said.
At this point, lawmakers are getting up to speed on the issue, which could come before Congress this spring, although there isn’t a clear timeline.
President Obama has said he wants to work with Congress to end the application of Jackson-Vanik.
Rep. Jim McDermott (D-Wash.), ranking member on the House Ways and Means subcommittee on Trade, told The Hill on Friday that he has been discussing the issue with subcommittee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-Texas), but nothing has been decided on how to proceed.
If Congress doesn’t pass legislation to grant PNTR by the time Russia acts, the United States will not enjoy the full economic benefits of Russia joining the WTO.
Within five years, U.S. exports to Russia could double from about $9 billion per year.
The package of concessions Russia agreed to before receiving its official WTO invitation will lower tariffs for some U.S. agricultural products and will establish higher quotas for imports of beef, poultry and pork. The process will bind and phase down Russia’s domestic agricultural subsidies and will eliminate Russia’s export subsidies altogether.
The United States is not required to make any market-access concessions to Russia as part of the WTO accession process.