House Appropriations Bill for Commerce Boosts Trade Agency Funding
The draft fiscal year 2015 appropriations bill for the Departments of Commerce and Justice, Science, released on April 29, would bolster funding for several trade related agencies, but are below the Obama administration's prescribed funding levels. The Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies subcommittee marked up the draft bill on April 30, but lawmakers did not add any significant amendments, said a committee spokesman. The draft has not yet been formally introduced.
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The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative will receive $53.5 million in the draft legislation. The draft would provide the International Trade Administration (ITA) with $473 million of which $10 million is to be derived from retained fees. No less than $16.4 million of the ITA funding is directed to enforcement and compliance activities associated with administering antidumping and countervailing duties on Chinese imports. The draft bill provides $84.5 million to the International Trade Commission. The draft legislation also provides $103.5 to the Bureau of Industry and Security, and those funds will be available “until expended.” The draft bill will fund the Census Bureau at $869.5 million, with more than $1.5 million will be directed to the Office of the Inspector General. Nearly $3.6 billion is provided to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Fiscal year 2015 lasts from Oct. 1, 2014 to Sept. 30, 2015.