President Donald Trump should work to relieve the "financial and procedural burdens" for small firms pursuing antidumping and countervailing duty investigations, Sen. Angus King, I-Maine said in a letter to Trump (here). King said that he personally knows several Maine businesses that chose not to file AD and CV petitions because of financial challenges, which he said disproportionately affect small and medium-size businesses. King called for the Commerce Department to explore the use of more self-initiated investigations, as suggested by Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross (see 1701180053). "If self-initiated investigations would have no practical effect for small businesses, however, since most costs are incurred during the investigation phase, then I request that the Administration commit to finding better solutions to this persistent problem." Trump should also “respect the boundaries of the international trade system,” King said in response to an executive trade agenda that highlighted national law as a priority over World Trade Organization rules (see 1703020072). “Fair trade is only enhanced by our participation in and commitment to international trade institutions,” King said. Trump should also work with lawmakers on NAFTA renogotiations and other trade issues in the future even when not required, King said. "Though you possess the statutory power to unilaterally carry out many of your preferred trade policies, I strongly urge you to consult closely with Congress in order to learn how particular trade reforms might impact key state industries and economies," he said.

Lawmakers recently introduced the following trade-related bills:

The leaders of the Senate Banking Committee said that U.S. sanctions on Russia should remain in place until Russian forces stop their intervention in eastern Ukraine, according to opening statements for a March 15 hearing. Until Russia changes its behavior with regard to Ukraine, U.S. sanctions should be targeted and staged according to “realistic conditions,” committee Chairman Mike Crapo, R-Idaho said (here). “One thing is clear: any reduction to the level of sanctions in the absence of a corresponding shift in Russian behavior will be interpreted as a change in U.S. policy on Russia’s involvement in Ukraine,” Crapo said. Committee ranking member Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, echoed Crapo’s sentiment.

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on March 15 cleared the nomination of Elaine Duke to serve as deputy homeland security secretary to go to the Senate floor, and advanced a bill that would require Department of Homeland Security leadership to work with CBP in developing a plan to screen agricultural imports for terrorism threats, the committee said in a statement (here). The Securing our Agriculture and Food Act would require the DHS secretary to carry out a program to defend U.S. food, agriculture and veterinary systems against terrorism and other "high-consequence events" that pose a high risk to homeland security. That includes coordinating with CBP, as appropriate, on food and agriculture security and screening procedures for imported products, according to the bill text (here). The committee advanced the bill to the Senate floor with no amendments.

Lawmakers recently introduced the following trade-related bills:

A bipartisan Senate Finance Committee staff memo obtained by International Trade Today highlighted Robert Lighthizer past representations of foreign entities, representations in pending trade matters, and tax documentation as "issues ... appropriate to bring to the attention of Committee Members in advance of the hearing." While at the Skadden Arps law firm, Lighthizer represented Brazil in bilateral discussions with the U.S. to resolve ethanol trade disputes in 1985, potentially requiring a legislative waiver to secure Senate confirmation (see 1701250061). The Senate Finance Committee postponed a confirmation hearing for U.S. trade representative nominee Lighthizer from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. March 14 because of inclement weather.

The U.S. awards more procurement to foreign firms than other top-awarding governments party to the World Trade Organization Government Procurement Agreement (GPA) do, according to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report (here) released March 13. The U.S. opened $837 billion in GPA-covered procurement to foreign firms, while the next five largest GPA parties combined to offer $381 billion in 2010, the most recent year for which data were available, the GAO said. NAFTA parties haven’t engaged in a government procurement data exchange requirement since 2005, the report said. The GAO analyzed WTO and U.S. documents and data related to the GPA and U.S. FTAs, and interviewed Washington and Geneva officials, it said. Among other things, the GAO recommended that the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative submit a proposal aiming to improve the procurement reporting by WTO parties to the WTO GPA working group on statistical reporting established by the WTO Committee on Government Procurement, and that USTR restart yearly NAFTA statistical exchanges. USTR didn’t comment.

The express delivery industry is likely to be one of the biggest beneficiaries of implementation of the World Trade Organization Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA), as automation and risk management requirements will allow companies to submit advance information to expedite clearance, the Congressional Research Service said in a recently released report (here). “For express delivery firms, in particular, a shipment’s smooth and rapid border crossing is crucial for providing good customer service to their customers,” the CRS said. The agreement entered into force on Feb. 22, after securing more than 110 necessary ratifications (see 1702220007). The number of ratifications now stands at 114, according to the WTO (here).

Lawmakers recently introduced the following trade-related bills:

The Senate Finance Committee will hold a hearing at 10 a.m. March 14 to consider the nomination of Robert Lighthizer to serve as U.S. trade representative, the committee announced (here). “In order for Congress to have a strong say in the Trump Administration’s trade policy agenda, we need to confirm the USTR as soon as possible,” committee Chairman Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, said. “After unprecedented delays and unrealistic and unrelated demands that have hindered the advancement of Mr. Lighthizer’s nomination, it is past time to allow the Committee to examine the nominee’s qualifications to lead USTR.” Hatch added that he looks forward to hearing, specifically, how Lighthizer plans to protect American intellectual property rights overseas, among other things. Hatch last month said his committee would draft waiver legislation to set the stage for Lighthizer’s confirmation, because he represented the Brazilian Ministry of Industry and Commerce for the Skadden Arps law firm more than 15 years ago (see 1702070047). The Trade Act of 1974 prevents anyone who represented other governments on trade issues with the U.S. from serving as USTR or deputy USTR.