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Senate Appropriations Committee Advances Commerce, Transport Funding Bills
June 5, 2014 by Brian Dabbs|Congress

The Senate Appropriations Committee approved Fiscal Year 2015 appropriations bills for Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies and Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies. The Committee advanced both bills subject to amendment. The committee has not yet released subsequent amendments. Subcommittees approved both pieces of legislation on June 3 without amendment (see 14060323).

Additional 2,000 CBP Officers Necessary in FY15, Says NTEU President
June 5, 2014 by Brian Dabbs|Congress

The additional increase of 2,000 CBP officers through Fiscal Year 2015 (FY15) appropriations, as well as more agriculture inspection personnel, is imperative to sufficiently mitigate risks associated with plant pests and diseases, said National Treasury Employees Union Colleen Kelley in a June 4 press release. Congress provided DHS funds to hire 2,000 more CBP officers in FY14, and the White House proposed funds for 2,000 additional CBP officers on top of that for FY15 (see 14040301). House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security Chairwoman Candice Miller, R-Mich., prevented an amendment to fund 2,000 more CBP officers during a recent markup on CBP authorization legislation (see 14052101).

Senate Confirms Selig as Commerce Undersecretary for International Trade
June 5, 2014 by Brian Dabbs|Congress

The Senate confirmed on June 4 Stefan Selig to be the next Commerce Department undersecretary for international trade. The position heads the International Trade Administration. The Senate Finance Committee approved Selig’s nomination on May 21, after a hearing on May 8 (see 14052201). As head of the International Trade Administration, Selig will play a central role in the implementation of the National Export Initiative NEXT, said Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker in a statement. Pritzker unveiled NEI NEXT in mid-May (see 14051324).

Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee Schedules June 11 Agriculture Trade Hearing
June 5, 2014 by Brian Dabbs|Congress

The House Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee will hold on June 11 a hearing on U.S. agricultural trade expansion and the elimination of barriers to U.S. exports, Subcommittee Chairman Devin Nunes, R-Calif., announced on June 4. Japan and Canada, among other countries, maintain high tariffs and import quotas that prevent U.S. agriculture exports, said the subcommittee in a release. The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative continues to negotiate with both countries over trade barrier removal in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (see 14060404). U.S. agriculture exporters also face increasing non-tariff trade barriers, such as unscientific sanitary and phytosanitary measures and geographical indications, the subcommittee said.

Senate Appropriations Subcommittees Approve Commerce, FDA and Transport Funding Bills
June 4, 2014 by Brian Dabbs|Congress

The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) on June 3 advanced FY15 funding legislation without amendment (here). The legislation has yet to be released, but the Senate Appropriations Committee said the bill would fund the International Trade Administration at $480 million, $10 million more than the FY14 enacted level. “The bill also supports the Interagency Trade Enforcement Center to aggressively tackle unfair trade practices hurting American businesses,” said a committee release, adding that the bill would appropriate $434 million above FY14 enacted levels for U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Counterpart legislation advanced through the full House on May 30 after lawmakers tacked on a number of trade-related amendments (see 14060202).

Heritage Foundation Joins Chorus of Catfish Inspection Program Critics
June 2, 2014 by Brian Dabbs|Congress

The Heritage Foundation renewed calls to repeal the U.S. Department of Agriculture Catfish Inspection Program or, at bare minimum, prohibit its funding, Heritage analyst Daren Bakst said in May 30 report. The program was widely criticized by lawmakers and industry officials alike as House members and senators debated the measure in Farm Bill conference (see 13121124). President Obama ultimately signed the Farm Bill into law in February (see 14020713).