Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), will join the Senate Finance Committee in the next congress, said Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) in a press release. Brown and Bennet will replace outgoing Senators Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) and Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.), both retiring this year.
New lobbyist registrations on trade issues include:
Ten senators, led by Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), urged the Commerce Department to crack down on evasion and circumvention of the antidumping and countervailing duty orders on oil country tubular goods (OCTG) from China. In a letter dated Dec. 10, the senators said the AD/CV orders have been undermined by a variety of schemes designed to weaken them. “These efforts include outright evasion and circumvention of the orders as well as less obvious but equally harmful attempts to narrow their scope,” the letter said. “If successful, these ploys will enable Chinese companies to dump massive quantities of subsidized Chinese OCTG into the United States without paying the AD and CVD duties that they rightfully owe.”
Rep. Lee Terry, R-Neb., who will become the chairman of the House Commerce Committee's Manufacturing and Trade Subcommittee said during an interview that the recent disagreement over miscellaneous tariff bills (MTB) and whether they amount to congressional earmarks is a new wrinkle to the process. The MTB faces controversy over whether the duty suspensions are earmarks and if such a bill violates a congressional GOP ban on earmarks.
The Southern Shrimp Alliance voiced appreciation for the inclusion of Rep. Charles Boustany's Preventing Recurring Trade Evasion and Circumvention Act (PROTECT) within the the Customs Trade Facilitation and Enforcement Act of 2012 (HR-6642). HR-6642 was introduced Dec. 7 by Rep. Kevin Brady (R-Texas).
The Senate gave its approval for legislation (HR-6156) Dec. 6 that would give Russia and Moldova Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) status. The Senate approval means the next step will be a signature from President Barack Obama. The House recently approved the bill, which would repeal the Jackson-Vanik amendment, which limits U.S. trade with communist countries.
The Senate leadership pushed to Dec. 6 consideration of legislation (HR-6156) that would give Russia and Moldova Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) status. The Senate has reached an agreement to consider the Russia-Moldova PNTR bill with no amendments, according to Senate Democrats. The House recently approved the bill, which would repeal the Jackson-Vanik amendment, which limits U.S. trade with communist countries.
The Senate leadership scheduled a vote Dec. 5 on legislation (HR-6156) that would give Russia and Moldova Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) status, according to the Senate floor calendar. The House recently approved the bill, which would repeal the Jackson-Vanik amendment, which limits U.S. trade with communist countries..
House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp (R-Mich.), Ranking Member Sandy Levin (D-Mich.), Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.), and Ranking Member Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) are concerned with China's economic model and use of state-owned enterprises, they said in a letter to Department of Commerce Secretary Rebecca Blank and U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk. The letter was sent ahead of a meeting of the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade.
House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp (R-Mich.) congratulated and welcomed the new Republican members of the Ways and Means Committee in a Nov. 30 statement. The new members are Tim Griffin (R-Ark.), Mike Kelly (R-Pa.), Tim Scott (R-S.C.), and Todd Young (R-Ind.). “The Members joining our Committee will bring valuable experience, expertise and energy to the Committee -- all of which are welcome as the Committee continues its mission of creating the best possible climate for economic growth and job creation,” said Camp. “The fiscal challenges facing America are significant, and the addition of these four members complements the tremendous skills and knowledge of our existing Members working to solve these problems.”