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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Four Senators Ask USTR to Support Lower Tariffs on Green Goods
On November 19, 2009, Senators Wyden (D), Crapo (R), Kerry (D) and Stabenow (D) wrote a letter to the U.S. Trade Representative urging him to support an agreement between several nations to lower or eliminate import tariffs on goods that contribute to greenhouse gas emission reductions and other sustainable environmental practices as part of the WTO negotiations.
GAO Report Finds US-VISIT Exit Portion Still a Work in Progress
On November 19, 2009, House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Thompson (D) announced the release of a report by the Government Accountability Office on the state of the US-VISIT program. The report, entitled "Key US-VISIT Components at Varying Stages of Completion, but Integrated and Reliable Schedule Needed" finds there is not a unified schedule to completely implement a comprehensive exit function for US-VISIT.
Action Expected on Treasury Undersec'y for Int'l Affairs Nomination
On November 18, 2009, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Baucus (D) issued a statement regarding the nomination of Lael Brainard to serve as Under Secretary of the Treasury for International Affairs. Baucus' stated that the Senate Finance Committee intends to move forward as soon as possible on the nomination.
Trade-Related Bills Introduced on November 2, 2009
On November 2, 2009, the following trade-related bills were introduced:
| Pesticide chemicals | S. 2608. A bill to extend temporarily the reduction of duty on certain pesticide chemicals |
| Chemical | S. 2609. A bill to extend temporarily the reduction of duty on certain acetamiprid, whether or not combined with application adjuvants |
| Camera lenses | S. 2610. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on digital camera lenses |
| Camera lenses | S. 2611. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on lightweight digital camera lenses measuring approximately 55 mm or more |
| Camera lenses | S. 2612. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on lightweight digital camera lenses measuring approximately 70 mm or more |
| Golf umbrellas | S. 2613. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on certain golf umbrellas |
| Golf umbrellas | S. 2614. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on certain printed golf umbrellas |
| C12-18 alkenes | S. 2615. A bill to extend the temporary suspension of duty on C12-18 alkenes |
| Chemical | S. 2616. A bill to extend the temporary suspension of duty on cis-3-Hexen-1-ol; |
| Stick umbrellas | S. 2617. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on certain stick umbrellas |
| Chemical | S. 2618. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on 2-Hydroxypropylmethylcellulose |
| Chemical | S. 2619. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on mixtures containing n-butyl-1,2-benzisothiazolin-3-one (Butyl benzisothiazoline) and application adjuvants |
| Chemical | S. 2620. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on mixtures containing n-butyl-1,2-benzisothiazolin-3-one (Butyl benzisothiazoline), 1-hydroxypyridine-2-thione, zinc salt (Zinc pyrithione) and application adjuvants |
| Chemical | S. 2621. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on 4-Methylbenzenesulfonamide |
| Chemical | S. 2622. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on mixture of calcium hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, aluminum silicate and stearic acid |
| Chemical | S. 2623. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on 3-(1,3-Benzodioxol-5-yl)-2-methylpropanal (Helional); |
| Chemical | S. 2624. A bill to extend the temporary suspension of duty on magnesium zinc aluminum hydroxide carbonate coated with stearic acid |
| Chemical | S. 2625. A bill to extend the temporary suspension of duty on magnesium aluminum hydroxide carbonate (synthetic hydrotalcite) and magnesium aluminum hydroxide carbonate (synthetic hydrotalcite) coated with stearic acid |
| Chemical | S. 2626. A bill to extend the temporary suspension of duty on polytetramethylene ether glycol |
| Lamp-holder housings | S. 2627. A bill to temporarily suspend the duty on aluminum lamp-holder housings containing sockets |
| Lamp-holder housings | S. 2628. A bill to extend temporarily the suspension of duty on brass lamp-holder housings containing sockets |
| Lamp-holder housings | S. 2629. A bill to extend temporarily the suspension of duty on porcelain lamp-holder housings containing sockets |
| Lamp-holder housings | S. 2630. A bill to extend temporarily the duty on plastic lamp-holder housing containing sockets |
| Time switches | S. 2631. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on certain time switches |
| Electrical connectors | S. 2632. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on certain electrical connectors |
| GFCI receptacles | S. 2633. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on certain tamper resistant ground fault circuit interrupter receptacles |
| Sensor switches | S. 2634. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on certain occupancy sensor switches |
| Surge protector receptacles | S. 2635. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on certain surge protective receptacles |
| Stage lights | . 2636. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on certain stage lights of aluminum |
| Spotlights and nightlights | S. 2637. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on certain plastic base material spotlights and nightlights |
| Chemical | S. 2638. A bill to extend the temporary suspension of duty on 1,3 ,5-Triazine-2,4,6-triamine,N,N-[1,2-ethanediylbis-[[[4,6-bis[butyl (1,2 ,2,6,6-pentamethyl-4-piperidinyl)amino]-1.3.5-triazine-2-yl]imino]-3 ,1-propanediyl]]bis[N',N"-dibutyl-N',N"-bis(1,2,26,6,-pentamethyl-4-piperidinyl)-and Butanedioic acid, dimetheylester polymer with 4-hydroxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-1-piperdine ethanol |
| Chemical | S. 2639. A bill to extend the temporary suspension of duty on butanedioic acid, dimethyl ester, polymer with 4-hydroxy-2,2,6,6 ,-tetramethyl-1-piperidineethanol |
| Sleeping bag carry cases | S. 2640. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on certain unwoven polypropylene zippered sleeping bag carry cases, not under 77.5 cm in circumference and not exceeding 106.7 cm in circumference |
| Chemical | S. 2641. A bill to extend the temporary suspension of duty on N,N-Hexane-1,6,diylbis(3-(3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyphenylpropionamide) |
| Man-made sleeping bag shells | S. 2642. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on man-made shells used in the manufacture of sleeping bags |
| Chemical | S. 2643. A bill to extend temporarily the reduction of duty on polyethylene HE1878 |
| Fuel pump | S. 2644. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on high pressure fuel pump |
| Electric vehicle inverter | S. 2645. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on electric vehicle inverter |
| Electric vehicle inverter | S. 2645. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on electric vehicle inverter |
| Fuel injector | S. 2646. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on injection fuel injector |
| Battery | S. 2647. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on lithium ion electrical storage battery |
| Motor generator units | S. 2648. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on motor generator units |
| Electronics boxes | S. 2649. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on power electronics boxes |
| Stator/rotor | S. 2650. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on stator/rotor |
| Chemical | S. 2651. A bill to extend temporarily the suspension of duty on compound of barium magnesium aluminate phosphor |
| Chemical | S. 2652. A bill to extend temporarily the suspension of duty on calcium chloride phosphate phosphor |
| Chemical | S. 2653. A bill to extend temporarily the suspension of duty on compound of strontium chloroapatite-europium |
| Chemical | S. 2654. A bill to extend temporarily the suspension of duty on lanthanum phosphate phosphor |
| Chemical | S. 2655. A bill to extend the temporary suspension of duty on mixtures or coprecipitates of lanthanum phosphate, cerium-doped lanthanum phosphate, cerium phosphate, and terbium phosphate |
| Chemical | S. 2656. A bill to extend temporarily the suspension of duty on mixtures or coprecipitates of yttrium oxide and europium oxide |
| Chemical | S. 2657. A bill to extend temporarily the suspension of duty on strontium halophosphate doped with europium |
| Inorganic products | S. 2658. A bill to extend temporarily the suspension of duty on strontium magnesium phosphate-tin doped inorganic products |
| Chemical | S. 2659. A bill to extend temporarily the suspension of duty on yttrium vanadate phosphor |
| Chemical | S. 2660. A bill to extend temporarily the suspension of duty on yttrium oxide phosphor |
| Chemical | S. 2663. A bill to suspend temporarily the duty on DCDNBTF Benzene, 2,4-dichloro-1,3-dinitro-5-(trifluoroethyl)- |
(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 some of the bills introduced on November 2, 2009. See future issues of ITT for additional 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.