Why U.S.-Russia Trade Is Stuck in the Cold War

Russia will join the World Trade Organization next month, a deal 18 years in the making. That’s good news for U.S. businesses. They’ll get guaranteed tariff reductions. Russia will also have to honor international agreements dealing with intellectual property, and if there are disputes, the U.S. can call on the WTO to arbitrate. There’s only one thing in the way: Congress.

The WTO requires its members to grant each other so-called permanent normal trade relations. But the U.S. is forbidden to do so with Russia under the 1974 Jackson-Vanik amendment, passed to restrict trade with the Soviet Union as punishment for its persecution of Jews who wanted to emigrate. Now lawmakers worried about looking soft on the old Cold War foe—in the middle of campaign season—are stalling on repealing the amendment.