1、 https:/crsreports.congress.gov Updated April 20, 2020U.S. Trade: Recent Trends and DevelopmentsBackground In recent years, Congress has demonstrated significant interest in U.S. and international trade trends as part of its efforts to examine U.S. trade policy and key U.S. trading relationships. In
2、 particular, demand for comparative analysis of bilateral trade flows and balances has heightened as the Trump Administration takes actions with the intention of reducing U.S. bilateral trade deficits, enforcing U.S. trade laws and agreements, and promoting what it considers to be “free,” “fair,” an
3、d “reciprocal” trade. The role of Congress in trade policy stems from a number of overlapping responsibilities, including its constitutional authority over regulating commerce with foreign countries and broad oversight responsibility over the performance of the economy. The changing dynamics and com
4、position of U.S. trade may be important to Members, because they can affect the overall health of the U.S. economy, the success of U.S. workers and firms, and the U.S. standard of living. U.S. Trade in Goods U.S. merchandise exports totaled $1.7 trillion in 2019, a 1.3% ($21.5 billion) decrease from