Wichita Standard

Rep. Ron Estes of Kansas, who serves as the co-chair of the House Aerospace Caucus, has spearheaded a letter along with 23 colleagues directed at United States Trade Representative, Ambassador Jamieson Greer. The letter calls for the Trump administration to uphold and build upon the zero-zero tariff environment established by the 1979 Agreement on Trade in Civil Aircraft.

The letter emphasizes that "America’s A&D companies are global leaders in manufacturing and sustaining technologies across the commercial aviation, defense, and space sectors." It highlights the U.S. aerospace and defense industry's significant trade surplus, citing 2023 figures where exports reached $135.9 billion against imports of $61.4 billion.

The signatories urge the administration to "build on the success of the zero-zero tariff environment" through bilateral trade negotiations to bolster U.S. competitiveness globally. They express appreciation for "the Administration’s continued attention on these issues" and anticipate a partnership that ensures American leadership in global aerospace.

Among those joining Rep. Estes were Reps. Sam Graves, Adrian Smith, Mike Kelly, David Schweikert, Kevin Hern, Carol D. Miller, Gregory F. Murphy, M.D., Blake D. Moore, Beth Van Duyne, Mike Carey, Brian K. Fitzpatrick, Rudy Yakym III, Jack Bergman, Pete Stauber, Tracey Mann, Barry Moore, Jay Obernolte, Brad Finstad, Rich McCormick MD MBA., Brian Jack Brad Knott Tim Moore Derek Schmidt.

The letter addresses Ambassador Greer directly: “We write to commend this Administration’s commitment to restore a robust American manufacturing sector.” It underscores how more than 100 thousand companies within this industry contribute significantly to the U.S economy with an output of nearly $422 billion in 2023 alone.

This move is part of broader efforts reflecting an America First Trade Policy aimed at fostering high-wage manufacturing jobs nationwide while maintaining innovation-driven leadership in aerospace technology.