In This Issue:

- President Obama Presses For Advancement Of Trade Deals During State Of The Union

- U.S. Sanctions Updates

- Keystone Pipeline Debate Continues After Congress Approves Bill

News Of Note

..New Census Report Links Trade Data To Manufactured Products

..USTR Requests Public Input On Intellectual Property Review

..USTR Issues Reports On China's And Russia's Implementation Of WTO Agreements

- Excerpt from President Obama Presses For Advancement Of Trade Deals During State Of The Union:

President Obama gave his sixth State of the Union address on Tuesday, January 20, and one of the major focuses of the speech was the importance of concluding trade agreements. The President used the occasion to call on Congress to pass legislation to grant him trade promotion authority (TPA), which requires Congress to provide an up or down vote (without amendments) on trade deals the Administration has negotiated.

President Obama noted that passage of TPA was necessary to clear the path for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a trade agreement that the United States is currently negotiating with 11 other countries throughout the Asia-Pacific region. He pressed for strong new trade deals in Asia and Europe that "aren't just free, but fair."