Ron Kirk, who serves as United States Trade Representative, will step down at the end of this month. He was in charge of planning and advising American trade policy to President Barack Obama.
The outgoing Trade Representative is credited with pushing through Congress three free-trade agreements that had stalled after President George W. Bush left office. These agreements were ratified in October 2011, opening up greater trade with South Korea, Colombia and Panama. His efforts also helped develop long-tepid trade relations with Russia, which finally joined the World Trade Organization in August after almost twenty years of negotiation.
Rocky Start
Kirk was mayor of Dallas and an influential lawyer and lobbyist before becoming U.S. Trade Representative in March 2009. His confirmation was complicated by the fact that he owed back taxes due to unreported speaking fees that were directly paid to a charity. He paid the $9,975 that was owed. The nominee also faced scrutiny over Dallas Mavericks basketball tickets that he had claimed as business expenses over three seasons.
The Senate nevertheless confirmed Kirk by a vote of 92-5. He is the first African-American to have served in that position, and leaves office at a time when President Obama's cabinet is noticeably scarce of African-Americans.
Gratitude Expressed
Several agricultural groups thanked Kirk for his efforts to develop trade during his four-year tenure, including the National Corn Growers Association:
"The [NCGA] greatly appreciates and thanks U.S. Trade Representative Kirk for his tireless efforts to promote American agricultural products in the global marketplace," remarked NCGA President Pam Johnson.
The NCGA, citing statistics, pegged the impact of the trade agreements at $2.3 billion extra revenue in 2012 alone, with 20,000 more U.S. domestic jobs created.
President Obama also thanked Kirk in a statement:
"From bringing home new trade agreements with Korea, Colombia and Panama and negotiating to open up new markets for American businesses, to cracking down on unfair trade practices around the world, he has been a tremendous advocate for the American worker."
Road ahead
It is not known whether Kirk will be a part of the Trans-Pacific Partnership talks in March, held in Singapore. The TPP is a divisive issue, due to its wide-ranging and as-yet intangible consequences and effects. Potential parties to the pact include Brunei, Chile, New Zealand, Singapore, the United States, Australia, Peru, Vietnam, Malaysia, Mexico and Canada.
Potential successors as Trade Representative are USTR deputy Michael Punke, as well as Harvard alum and White House trade advisor Mike Froman.
Kirk spoke fondly of his tenure under the President as the greatest professional privilege of his life:
"Together, we have made great strides to bring about the President's vision of a more robust, responsible, and responsive trade policy that opens markets to products stamped 'Made-in-America' and enforces Americans' trade rights around the world - and does so in a way that is more consistent with America's core values on issues like the rights of workers and the environment."
