The Senate Armed Services Committee should reject a National Defense Authorization Act amendment that would require the Defense Department to source garments solely from a European-led manufacturing consortium formed to address labor conditions in Bangladesh, said Sen. Bob Corker, R-Tenn., in a Dec. 2 letter (here). The amendment requires DoD to source garments only from companies that have signed the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh, said Corker. Swedish retailer H&M spearheaded the creation of the accord and the deadline passed for company endorsement in May.

Recent trade-related bills introduced in Congress include:

The Putting Security First in Preclearance Act would prohibit foreign governments from funding CBP preclearance facilities abroad, while requiring a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) security evaluation prior to CBP preclearance expansion to international ports, such as the Abu Dhabi International Airport in the United Arab Emirates, said House Committee on Homeland Security Democratic members Nov. 22 (here). Ranking member on the committee Border and Maritime Security Subcommittee Rep. Sheila Jackson, D-Texas, introduced the legislation, HR-3575 (here) Nov. 21 (see 13112231).

The U.S. House of Representatives on Nov. 21 passed the Natural Gas Permitting Reform Act, HR-1900 (here), sponsored by Rep. Mike Pompeo, R-Kan. The bill, passed in a vote of 252 to 165 largely along partisan lines, aims to expedite pipeline permitting (see 13112003). The legislation received widespread support from Republican House members and the manufacturing industry in the days leading up to and after passage.

Recent trade-related bills introduced in Congress include:

The House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa, Global Health, Global Human Rights and International Organizations backed by unanimous voice vote Nov. 21 the Increasing American Jobs Through Greater Exports to Africa Act of 2013, HR-1777. “We hope to move the bill to the full committee perhaps as early as next month,” said a subcommittee official.

The U.S. House of Representative debated a host of amendments to the Natural Gas Pipeline Permitting Act, HR-1900 (here), during a Nov. 21 mark-up. The House will proceed to vote on the legislation on Nov. 21, said the House Energy and Finance Committee in a press release. The Obama Administration expressed opposition to the legislation (see 13112003). Email ITTNews@warren-news.com for a copy of the Energy and Commerce release.

A group of 24 House lawmakers introduced the Textile Enforcement and Security Act (TESA) Nov. 20. Senator Kay Hagan, D-N.C., introduced similar legislation in July (see 13102516). The House legislation, HR-3558, provides CBP additional resources to combat fraudulent textile imports, co-sponsor Rep. Tom Graves, R-Ga., said in a press release (here). The legislation specifically targets the following, according to the release:

The Natural Gas Pipeline Permitting Reform Act, H.R. 1900 (here), passed through the House Energy and Commerce Committee on Nov. 18. The House will vote on the legislation this week, according to an Energy and Commerce press release. The legislation will address the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) inability to approve energy pipeline projects in a manner that is consistent with rising U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) production and international demand, the committee said. The legislation aims to accomplish the following, according to the committee (here):

The Senate Finance Committee Chairman, Senator Max Baucus, D-Mont., released on Nov. 20 the second draft proposal for international tax reform legislation in the span of two days. The overhaul is needed to address the current tax code’s failure to adapt to a rapidly changing global economic landscape that is ramping up profit value from intellectual property, said a Finance Committee Nov. 19 release (here). Moreover, U.S. foreign investment has skyrocketed to $4.2 billion from $52 billion 45 years ago, said the release, adding that tax havens are increasingly attracting investment, registering $1.7 trillion in total. The drafts aim to accomplish the following, according to the Nov. 19 release and a Nov. 20 release (here):