JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Missouri House of Representatives is looking to further increase trade relations with our ally across the Atlantic, the United Kingdom.
This week, the House approved a resolution calling on the United States Congress to grant trade promotion authority to the executive branch, and asks the executive branch to complete a timely and successful negotiation of a comprehensive and mutually beneficial free trade agreement between the United States and the United Kingdom that Congress would ratify with a unanimous 129-0 vote.
Missouri and the United Kingdom have long been trade partners and trade nearly two billion dollars in goods and services annually, and over fifty United Kingdom companies are currently invested in Missouri, while more than twenty-five Missouri companies are currently invested in the United Kingdom.
State Representative Derek Grier has pushed to further those relations at the state level, having founded the Friends of the UK Caucus and traveling on Governor Mike Parson’s trade mission to the UK. In a show of support for the ongoing trading partnership between the UK and Missouri, UK Minister of State for Europe and North America James Cleverley visited the Missouri Capitol on April 12th as part of the ongoing success of these efforts.
“The passing of this resolution is a great sign to the UK that the Missouri legislature is committed to deepening our trade relationship with their country,” Grier, R-Chesterfield, said. “Establishing a successful free trade agreement between our two countries will not only be beneficial to Missouri, but mutually beneficial to us all as we continue to grow our industries and build world-class economies for the future.”