Ways and Means Republicans Use Amendments to Signal Trade Policy Complaints
The top Republican on the House Ways and Means Committee's Trade Subcommittee and Rep. Jackie Walorski, R-Ind., another prominent voice on trade, both proposed amendments to trade legislation that emphasize the complaints that Republicans have about the Democrats' trade policy.
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Rep. Vern Buchanan, R-Fla., called his amendment "Trade Not Aid," and instead of renewing the Trade Adjustment Assistance program, it would have linked TAA with a renewal of Trade Promotion Authority. Republicans, who often represent agricultural interests who want lower barriers to their exports, have complained that the Biden administration is doing nothing to pursue new trade agreements.
Walorski also used the Trade Adjustment Assistance bill to message about the expired Generalized System of Preferences benefits program and Miscellaneous Tariff Bill. One of the products covered by GSP is important to the RV industry, which is a major employer in her district (see 2106230027). One RV manufacturer has said that the end of GSP means a monthly hike in tariffs on specialty plywood of $1.5 million.
Walorski proposed that $100 million of the $1 billion spent under TAA be reserved for "workers displaced by Congressional inaction to renew the Generalized System of Preferences and the Miscellaneous Tariff Bill." Currently, TAA does not cover job losses due to higher tariffs, just job losses that are a result of import competition.
Both amendments failed,