R D Folsom

R.D. Folsom joined Wexler & Walker in 1998, bringing extensive experience in securing the passage of several international trade agreements and a wide variety of other trade bills. Mr. Folsom has provided legislative and policy advice to the White House, Congress, Executive Branch agencies and private sector clients for more than 30 years. A veteran of the Washington political and lobbying scene, Mr. Folsom is recognized as one of the Capital’s top trade lobbyists. Mr. Folsom represents both US and international interests, developing industry coalitions and generating domestic support for trade legislation and international agreements. Mr. Folsom has focused on trade liberalization policy and lobbying since 1983 and has been actively involved in a significant number of major trade issues considered by Congress since that time. He was a founding member of the steering committee for permanent normal trade relations with China and renewal of China’s MFN status. As Executive Director of the American-Australian Free Trade Agreement Coalition from 2001-04, Mr. Folsom helped build an alliance that became a force for enactment of the free trade agreement between the US and Australia. As Executive Director of the Comprehensive Market Access Coalition, a diverse union of business and agriculture interests, he pursued a strategy for the enactment of a comprehensive Central America Free Trade Agreement. Mr. Folsom is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma and began his governmental work as an intern for former Speaker Carl Albert. He later served as a counsel to the House Interior and Senate Energy Committees, and then as a member of President Carter's Domestic Policy Staff. He is a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.