The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has voiced concerns about the transparency of certain policy decisions after obtaining documents under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) that suggest Biden trade officials maintain a “deferential and highly coordinated approach” with Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Chamber revealed that its FOIA requests, submitted in December, aimed to uncover the motivations behind the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative’s (USTR) abrupt withdrawal of support for robust digital trade rules at the World Trade Organization (WTO). The Chamber has previously contended that this move jeopardizes growth and innovation for U.S. companies.
The documents received this year, the latest of which were turned over last month, show numerous “heads up” emails from the USTR to Warren’s office, providing advance notice before public announcements. They also document extensive email exchanges between the senator’s office and the USTR to “manage the fallout” following the WTO digital trade decision, according to the Chamber.
