On January 24, 2011, the House agreed to the rule (H. Res. 43) that is providing for consideration of H. Res. 38, to reduce non-security spending to fiscal year 2008 levels or less.
On January 24, 2011, Senator Baucus (D), Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, announced that he will travel to Colombia and Brazil the week of February 20, 2011 to meet with senior government officials in both countries to discuss key economic and trade issues, including the pending U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and the Doha Round of World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations. In his press release, Baucus stated that action on the U.S.-Colombia FTA has been delayed for too long and that now is the time to resolve outstanding issues and approve the FTA. Press release available by emailing documents@brokerpower.com.
On January 20, 2011, Senator Rockefeller (D), Chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, announced his priorities and goals for the committee in the 112th Congress.
The following are highlights of the trade-related Executive Communications sent to Congress from December 29, 2010 to January 12, 2011:
On January 19, 2011, the following report was filed in the House:
On January 20, 2011, the following trade-related bills and resolutions were introduced:
On January 20, 2011, five trade associations representing the U.S. fiber, yarn, and fabric industries (the American Fiber Manufacturers Association, American Manufacturing Trade Action Coalition, National Council of Textile Organizations, National Textile Association, and U.S. Industrial Fabrics Institute) wrote to members of Congress urging them to vote against the pending U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA). According to the associations, the textile portions of the KORUS FTA should be renegotiated.
The House Energy and Commerce Committee has announced that on January 26, 2010, its Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations will hold a hearing entitled “The Views of the Administration on Regulatory Reform.” The hearing will address the Obama administration's regulatory executive order and its impact on jobs and the economy. (See ITT's Online Archives or 01/19/11 news, 11011915, for BP summary of the President's executive order.)
On January 19, 2011, House Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Levin (D) announced the Democrats’ subcommittee leadership and assignments for the 112th Congress.
On January 19, 2011, Representative Manzullo (R), co-chair of the House Manufacturing Caucus and Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific, announced his plans to hold several hearings in 2011 to examine U.S. enforcement of trade rules with China and other countries in Asia.