A coalition of more than 25 American businesses launched on Feb. 1 to support House GOP tax reform efforts, including the border adjustability components, the American Made Coalition said in a statement (here). Another group, Americans for Affordable Products, launched the same day opposing those elements of the House Republicans’ reform plan (see 1702010049). The American Made Coalition didn’t immediately make public the names of its members. “The Coalition believes the obsolete and biased tax system subsidizing imports of foreign goods must be replaced with one that restores the United States’ competitive advantage in the foreign marketplace,” the group said. “By ending the ‘Made in America tax,’ we can create a more favorable business environment for American manufacturing and level the playing field so American workers can compete with foreign competitors.”
Rex Tillerson on Feb. 1 was confirmed by the Senate and sworn in as secretary of State. Tillerson addressed State Department employees during a speech Feb. 2, in which he thanked U.S. diplomats for their service (here).
The Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America set up a new page on its website (here) focused on the border adjustment tax being considered by House Republicans as part of a tax reform plan (see 1612010056). The trade group is strongly opposed to the idea (see 1701120028) and is working to get its members to engage with lawmakers. The FDRA also created a summary of the issue (here) and its prospects in Congress. "While this concept is controversial -- pitting exporters against importers -- it aligns with the campaign rhetoric on domestic manufacturing and does not increase tariffs," the FDRA said. Border adjustment provisions "may be modified or removed from a final tax reform bill, but the current political environment increases the prospect of passage and makes congressional advocacy critical," it said.
House Homeland Security Committee ranking member Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., named Rep. Filemon Vela, D-Texas, ranking member of the Border and Maritime Security Subcommittee, according to a Jan. 31 statement by committee Democrats (here). Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Texas, also announced on Jan. 24 (here) that Rep. Martha McSally, R-Ariz., will continue as Border and Maritime Security Subcommittee chairwoman, and named six other GOP members to the panel.
The Senate Finance Committee on Feb. 1 used procedure similar to unanimous consent to advance Treasury secretary nominee Steven Mnuchin for full Senate consideration a day after committee Democrats used their own procedural move to block a committee vote on the nomination, the committee announced (here). The committee GOP majority cleared the nomination under “suspension of the rules," again with no Democrats present, the committee said. All Democrats on the committee boycotted a scheduled confirmation vote for Mnuchin on Jan. 31, which required at least one of them to be present to establish a quorum (see 1701310038).
Lawmakers recently introduced the following trade-related bills:
A Jan. 31 Senate Finance Committee vote to advance President Donald Trump’s nomination of Steven Mnuchin to serve as Treasury secretary was postponed after the committee's Democrats boycotted the session, causing the absence of a quorum. The move further delays committee action on Mnuchin. “Due to the current Democrat posture of blocking consents on the Senate floor today, the Committees will more than likely not be permitted to meet again today,” a committee majority spokeswoman said in an emailed statement. Meanwhile, the full chamber on Jan. 31 confirmed Elaine Chao to serve as Transportation secretary, and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Jan. 30 advanced Trump’s secretary of State nominee, Rex Tillerson, for full Senate consideration.
House Financial Services Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas, on Jan. 26 named the Majority members of the panel’s Monetary Policy and Trade Subcommittee for the 115th Congress (here). Rep. Andy Barr of Kentucky will serve as the subcommittee chairman and Rep. Roger Williams of Texas will serve as vice chair. Reps. Frank Lucas of Oklahoma, Bill Huizenga of Michigan, Robert Pittenger of North Carolina, Mia Love of Utah, French Hill of Arkansas, Tom Emmer of Minnesota, Alex Mooney of West Virginia, Warren Davidson of Ohio, Claudia Tenney of New York and Trey Hollingsworth of Indiana round out the GOP committee members for the next two years.
The 37-member Alliance for Competitive Taxation supports the House tax reform agenda, it said (here). The group, which includes Google, Caterpillar and Procter & Gamble, offered approval without specifically mentioning the controversial “border adjustability” elements (see 1701120028). "The ‘Better Way for Tax Reform’ blueprint includes many of the policies that our businesses support, including setting a competitive corporate tax rate at 20 percent, establishing a modern international tax system, promoting investment and job creation in the U.S., and providing a level playing field for U.S. and foreign companies competing to sell their goods and services at home and abroad," it said.
Lawmakers recently introduced the following trade-related bills: