Daily Update on Capitol Hill Trade Actions
"Daily Update on Capitol Hill Trade Actions" is a regular feature of International Trade Today. The following are brief summaries of recent Capitol Hill actions.
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House "Trade Reform Bill" Introduced to Modify GSP and AGOA, Create New Preference Program
On November 17, 2009, Representative McDermott (D) introduced H.R. 4101, "The "The New Partnership for Trade Development Act of 2009." According to McDermott's press release and H.R. 4101, the bill would extend the GSP program to 2019 and modify its origin rules; create a new preference program for least developed countries that would include certain capped duty-free apparel benefits and use the modified origin rules of the GSP program; extend the third country fabric TPL for AGOA to 2015, and transition its origin rule to the modified origin rules of the GSP program.
Senate Food Safety Bill Amended, Ordered Reported by Committee
On November 18, 2009, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions ordered favorably reported S. 510, to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act with respect to the safety of the food supply, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute.
Iran Sanctions and Tobacco Smuggling Bills Reported in Senate
On November 19, 2009, the following measures were reported by committee:
S. 2799, to expand the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996, to provide for the divestment of assets in Iran by State and local governments and other entities, to identify locations of concern with respect to transshipment, reexportation, or diversion of certain sensitive items to Iran. (S. Rept. No. 111-99)
S. 1147, to prevent tobacco smuggling, to ensure the collection of all tobacco taxes, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute.
S. 1261, to repeal title II of the REAL ID Act of 2005 and amend title II of the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to better protect the security, confidentiality, and integrity of personally identifiable information collected by States when issuing driver's licenses and identification documents, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute.
Asst DHS Secretary for TSA Nomination Ordered Favorably Reported
On November 19, 2009, the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs ordered favorably reported the nomination of Erroll G. Southers to be Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security for the Transportation Security Administration.
U.S.-Mexico Border Security Hearing Held by House Subcommittee
On November 19, 2009, the House Committee on Appropriations' Subcommittee on Homeland Security held a hearing on Confronting the Cartels: Addressing U.S.-Mexican Border Security.
Radioactive Import Deterrence Act Ordered Reported, As Amended
On November 19, 2009, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce ordered reported, as amended, H.R. 515, Radioactive Import Deterrence Act.
Hazmat Transportation Safety Bill Ordered Reported, As Amended
On November 19, 2009, the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure ordered reported, as amended, H.R. 4016, Hazardous Material Transportation Safety Act of 2009.
Representative McDermott Introduced Conflict Minerals Trade Act
On November 19, 2009, Representative McDermott (D) issued a press release announcing that he introduced legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives (H.R. 4128) to help stop trade in conflict minerals in the Congo. Representative Wolf (R) co-sponsored the bill. (See today's ITT, 09112015, for BP summary of H.R. 4128.)
NY Senator, Representative Urge CBP to Approve Use Fee Airport Application
On November 19, 2009, Senator Schumer (D) and Representative Arcuri (D) urged U.S. Customs and Border Protection to approve an application from Griffiss International Airport to become a "User Fee Airport." Approval of Griffiss' application would permit the airport to hire a full time customs agent, significantly increasing the number of international flights that the airport could process.
Trade-Related Bills Introduced on November 18, 2009
On November 18, 2009, the following trade-related bills were introduced:
| Beef sampling and testing program | S. 2792. A bill to amend the Federal Meat Inspection Act to develop an effective sampling and testing program to test for E. coli O157:H7 in boneless beef manufacturing trimmings and other raw ground beef components, and for other purposes |
| GSP, AGOA | H.R. 4101. A bill to amend the African Growth and Opportunity Act and the Trade Act of 1974 to provide improved duty-free treatment for certain articles from certain least-developed countries, and for other purposes |
Trade-Related Bills Introduced on November 19, 2009
On November 19, 2009, the following trade-related bills were introduced:
| Iran sanctions | S. 2799. An original bill to expand the Iran Sanctions Act of 1996, to provide for the divestment of assets in Iran by State and local governments and other entities, to identify locations of concern with respect to transshipment, reexportation, or diversion of certain sensitive items to Iran, and for other purposes |
| Conflict minerals | H.R. 4128. A bill to improve transparency and reduce trade in conflict minerals, and for other purposes |
| Cotton shirting fabrics | H.R. 4136. A bill to extend the temporary duty suspensions on certain cotton shirting fabrics, and for other purposes |
| Phosphate | H.R. 4143. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on silver sodium hydrogen zirconium phosphate |
| Norbornene derivatives | H.R. 4158. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on certain hydrogenated polymers of norbornene derivatives |
| U.S.-Korea FTA | H. Res. 934. A resolution calling on the Government of the Republic of Korea to end unfair trade practices as such practices relate to the automotive industry, expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that it should take into account such unfair trade practices of the Republic of Korea when the House of Representatives considers the United States-Korea Free Trade Agreement, and for other purposes |
Trade-Related Bills Introduced on October 30, 2009
On October 30, 2009, the following trade-related bills were introduced:
| Girls cotton sweaters | S. 2580. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on certain knit-to-shape sweaters for girls, of cotton |
| Wool or fine animal hair knit shirts | S. 2581. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on certain knit-to-shape shirts of wool or fine animal hair |
| Knit women's or girls' pullovers | S. 2582. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on certain knit-to-shape pullovers for women or girls |
| Girls MMF knit blouses and shirts | S. 2583. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on certain knit-to-shape blouses and shirts of man-made fibers for girls |
| Men's or boys' cotton knit-to-shape articles | S. 2584. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on certain knit-to-shape articles for men or boys, of cotton |
| Men's cashmere sweaters | S. 2585. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on certain men's knit-to-shape cashmere sweaters |
| Men's or boys' knit wool vests | S. 2586. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on certain men's or boys' knit-to-shape wool vests |
| Women's knit blouses and shirts | S. 2587. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on certain women's knit-to-shape blouses and shirts |
| Women's or girls' cashmere sweaters | S. 2588. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on certain women's or girls' knit-to-shape cashmere sweaters |
| Women's or girls' knit wool vests | S. 2589. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on certain women's or girls' knit-to-shape wool vests |
| Women's cashmere sweaters | S. 2590. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on certain women's knit-to-shape cashmere sweaters |
| Women's wool sweaters | S. 2591. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on certain women's knit-to-shape wool sweaters |
| Men's wool sweaters | S. 2592. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on certain men's knit-to-shape-wool sweaters |
| Women's or girls' knit vests | S. 2593. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on certain women's or girls' knit-to-shape vests |
| Chemical | S. 2594. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on mixtures or coprecipitates of lanthanum phosphate, cerium-doped lanthanum phosphate, cerium phosphate, and terbium phosphate |
| Chemical | S. 2595. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on the mixtures or coprecipitates of yttrium phosphate or cerium phosphate |
| Chemical | S. 2596. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on Trinexapac-Ethyl Technical |
| Earphones | S. 2597. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on certain sound isolating earphones with detachable cable |
| Microphones | S. 2598. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on imports of certain handheld moving coil dynamic microphones |
| MMF artificial flowers | S. 2599. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on artificial flowers of man-made fibers assembled as a single species bush, with or without foliage |
| MMF artificial flowers | S. 2600. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on artificial flowers of man-made fibers, assembled as a multi-species bush, with or without foliage |
| Chemical | S. 2601. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on Neodymium oxide |
| Men's or boys' cashmere sweaters | S. 2602. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on certain men's or boys' knit-to-shape cashmere sweaters |
| Screw-on bottle caps and shaker caps | S. 2603. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on screw-on bottle caps and shaker caps with chromium or gold plated finish |
| Threaded stoppers, caps, and lids | S. 2604. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on threaded stoppers, caps, and lids of base metal with chromium or gold-plated finish, of a type and size suitable for use on salt-and-pepper shakers, perfume bottles, and the like |
| Chemical | S. 2605. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on 2-Propenoic acid, reaction products with o-cresol-epichlorohydrin-formaldehyde polymer and 3a,4,7,7a-tetrahydro-1,3-isobenzofurandione |
| Chemical | S. 2606. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on Formaldehyde, polymer with methylphenol, 2-hydroxy-3-[(1-oxo-2-propenyl)oxy]propyl ether and formaldehyde, polymer with (chloromethyl)oxirane and methylphenol, 4-cyclohexene-1,2-dicarboxylate 2-propenoate |
(A large number of trade-related bills were introduced in the Senate on October 29, 30, and November 2, 2009 for purposes of an Omnibus Miscellaneous Trade bill. The above list contains the last of the bills introduced on October 30, 2009. See future issues of ITT for bills introduced on November 2, 2009.)
If it is determined that any of the above Congressional actions, hearings, or bills warrant more in-depth coverage, such information will be provided separately in a future issue of International Trade Today.