Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough

 Weekly Washington Wrap

• Washington’s return from the Memorial Day break started with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid issuing a new series of congressional deadlines to pass financial re-regulation and plow forward on energy legislation before July 4^th – the next holiday. 
• Tuesday’s primary elections in several states were the latest display of the anti-incumbent mood sweeping the United States as some incumbents lost their seats and others faced hairsplittingly close calls.  This appears to be a continuation of the same anti-incumbent mood that helped propel Republican Scott Brown into the Massachusetts Senate seat Ted Kennedy held for nearly five decades and helped defeat longtime Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter who switched parties last year from the GOP to the Democrats. 
• President Obama swung into campaign mode this week, stumping on the benefits of newly enacted healthcare reforms to a group of seniors and calling on Congress to pass energy legislation he says will prevent future oil spills and reduce America’s reliance on petroleum. 
• All eyes are on the Senate today as Senator Murkowski’s resolution to strike down the Environmental Protection Agency's greenhouse gas regulations comes to a vote.  While the measure is not likely to pass the House, and certainly would be vetoed by the president, the measure is a rebuke to the administration’s strategy to lower carbon emissions through aggressive EPA action.

 

Wilkins in Washington

Speaking of Washington, that's exactly where David Wilkins is right now, attending the annual CABC Washington Policy Conference.  This year's conference is titled, "Whatever Happened to the North American Market?  Implications for the US-Canada relationship."  Panel discussion will be moderated by Maclean's journalist Luiza Ch. Savage and the CP's Lee Anne Goodman. 

President of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce Perrin Beatty is addressing the group this afternoon as is US Senator Jeanne Shaheen and US Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood. 

Buy American Caucus

In a bit of irony, another group of VIPs is also gathering in Washington today with an entirely different objective.  The inaugural meeting of the Congressional Buy American Caucus is slated to take place late this morning.     

The newly created group of lawmakers says it believes the United States "can reinvigorate its domestic manufacturing base by strengthening existing laws that require the federal government to make buying American-made products a priority."

The Buy American Caucus is co-chaired by US Representatives Christopher Murphy (D-CT) and Walter Jones (R-NC) who say they are concerned that "federal agencies have not aggressively enforced the spirit of the law and too many loopholes have allowed the law to be subverted."

This initial briefing promises to provide Congressional staff with "important information on what efforts are needed to ensure that taxpayer money isn’t used to buy foreign-made products when an American business can produce the same high-quality goods right here at home."

 Points on Protectionism

Taking a decidedly different point of view, David Wilkins penned an op-ed that is running now in the summer edition of the Diplomatic Courier Magazine.

In the piece, Wilkins examines the US-Canada relationship as Canada prepares to host both the G-8 and G-20 meetings. Wilkins suggests that policies implemented over the last 18 months and the current protectionist mood in Congress is challenging what has long been the world's most peaceful and productive trade relationship. 

More from the Diplomatic Courier:  

First came the 2009 “Stimulus Act” and a “Buy American” clause that shut out foreign-made manufactured goods for projects funded by the package. 

Deep concerns over the threat of protectionism were raised by those who recall the destructive Smoot-Hawley Act of the 1930s.   This measure raised tariffs on imports to record levels.  Other countries retaliated, slashing America's exports and imports by more than half and not only worsening—but prolonging—the Great Depression.

That’s why Canada’s Prime Minister Stephen Harper has called the increase of protectionism “the biggest risk we have to global economic recovery.”

In the wake of “Buy American”, Canadian municipalities initially voted to retaliate.  After months of tense negotiations, a bilateral deal was finally reached earlier this year, which did exempt Canadian iron, steel and manufactured products until September 2011.  But the trend toward protectionism in the U.S. appears to be picking up steam…

It’s been said, “Fences make good neighbors.”  When it comes to the U.S-Canada relationship, the very last thing we need is obstacles standing in the way of what has long been the world’s greatest trade relationship.  Mutual respect for our countries' differences and a rock-solid commitment to open markets and free trade will continue to make the closest of neighbors the best of friends.  

To read the entirety of Wilkins' op-ed in the Diplomatic Courier, go to www.diplomaticcourier.org. 

Super Spectra

The highlight of Ambassador Wilkins' week in Washington was a Spectra Energy reception held at the striking Canadian Embassy Monday evening.  Wilkins enjoyed reconnecting with Spectra Energy Corp's Chairman Bill Esrey and President and CEO Greg Ebel. 

It was also great to see our good friends from Union Gas – which is a Spectra company – President Julie Dill and Director of Canadian Government Relations David Sword. 

As always, Canada's Ambassador to the US Gary Doer showed all guests warm Canadian hospitality.

While in Washington, Wilkins had lunch with Chris Berardini – a great Canadian who we also claim as a "son of the South" because of his longtime and faithful service as chief of staff to South Carolina Congressman Henry Brown.   Brown is a co-chair of the Congressional Friends of Canada Caucus and also was Speaker Wilkins' Ways and Means chairman when they served together in the South Carolina House of Representatives.

Wilkins also got together for breakfast with one of his favorite Albertans, Gary Mar, who represents the province in Washington.  

Terrific Twos

Last week we told you about the "Awesome Twosome" celebrating in style with their grandparents at Pawleys Island, SC. 

Well, here's the adorable proof that the Wilkins' grandkids – Whit and Clary – had a fantastic time turning 2 with their two biggest fans. 

Whit and Clary Wilkins celebrate the terrific twos
 with their dotting grandparents, David and Susan Wilkins.