Senator is Reportedly Blocking Senate Action on GSP/ATPDEA, MTB Bill
According to various press reports, Senator Sessions (R) has placed a “hold”1 on H.R. 6517, the House-passed measure to extend the Generalized System of Preferences program and the Andean Trade Preferences Act/Andean Trade Promotion and Drug Eradication Act, implement hundreds of duty suspensions and reductions, etc., due to his opposition to GSP duty-free benefits for sleeping bags.
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It is not known if the Senate can reach a compromise on the GSP extension before it recesses or whether there will be an attempt to try and pass the Omnibus Trade Act without a GSP extension.
(The House passed H.R. 6517 on December 15, 2010. The bill was then sent to the Senate for its consideration. See ITT’s Online Archives or 12/17/10 news, 10121723, for detailed BP summary.
Last year Sessions and Senator Shelby (R) reportedly engaged in similar “hold” action prior to the one-year extension of the GSP and ATPA/ATPDEA programs. See ITT”s Online Archives or 12/08/10 news, 10120824, for most recent BP summary discussing the possibility that GSP eligibility of sleeping bags could again be an issue in 2010.)
Senator Sessions Has Pending Bill to Remove Sleeping Bags from GSP
On September 22, 2010, Senator Sessions introduced S. 3823, a bill to remove sleeping bags in HTS 9404.30.80 from GSP eligibility. In his press release on the bill, Sessions noted that his legislation could be attached to a broad authorization of the GSP program that the Senate would consider in 2010.
(See ITT’s Online Archives or 09/23/10 news, 10092305, for BP summary on its introduction. See ITT’s Online Archives or 08/10/10 news, 10081017, for BP summary of similar House bill.)
USTR to Again Review Eligibility of Sleeping Bags in 2010 GSP Annual Review
In October 2010, the U.S. Trade Representative accepted for review in the 2010 GSP Annual Review, a petition to withdraw from GSP eligibility certain types of sleeping bags (HTS 9404.30.80). At the request of the USTR, the International Trade Commission is seeking comments for its related investigation.
(In July 2010, the USTR denied a petition to remove GSP eligibility for sleeping bags classified under HTS 9404.30.80 as part of its 2009 GSP Annual Review.
See ITT’s Online Archives or 07/02/10 and 04/21/10 news, 10070221 and 10042131, for BP summaries on the results of the 2009 GSP Annual Review and the ITC’s associated report.)
1A “hold” is an informal practice by which a Senator informs his or her floor leader that he or she does not wish a particular bill or other measure to reach the floor for consideration. The Majority Leader need not follow the Senator's wishes, but is on notice that the opposing Senator may filibuster any motion to proceed to consider the measure.