On July 22, 2010, Senator Rockefeller (D), Chairman of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, and Senator Hutchison (R), Ranking Member of the Commerce Committee, introduced the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2010 (S. 3639), a bill to strengthen security at U.S. ports by focusing resources on critical areas, including especially hazardous cargo, small vessel security, and global supply chain security.
On July 21, 2010, the House Committee on Financial Services held a hearing on HR 2267: the Internet Gambling Regulation, Consumer Protection, and Enforcement Act, which was introduced by Chairman Frank. According to Representative Ron Paul, the bill would repeal the U.S. ban on Internet gambling and establish a process to ensure that gambling sites can comply with existing laws, and thus offer their services to adults who wish to gamble online. (Note that the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 was codified by Treasury and the Federal Reserve in a 2007 joint final rule that prohibits the funding of unlawful internet gambling. In addition, U.S. online gambling restrictions has been the subject of a WTO dispute.)
On July 21, 2010, the House Foreign Affairs Committee's Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere heard testimony from the Government Accountability Office on its new report on the Mérida Initiative. Announced in 2009, the Mérida Initiative provides about $1.6 billion in law enforcement support to Mexico and Central American countries. The Department of State manages the Initiative while other U.S. agencies play key roles in implementation. The GAO found that while State has developed some of the key elements of an implementation strategy for the initiative, including a mission, strategic goals, and a resource plan, its strategic documents do not include outcome performance measures that indicate progress toward achieving strategic goals. In addition, State has not developed a comprehensive set of timelines for all expected deliveries, though it plans to provide additional equipment and training in both Mexico and Central America. Copy of report that underlies testimony available here.
House Majority Leader Hoyer (D) has announced that the House Ways and Means Committee is planning to hold hearings that address China’s currency policy. Hoyer has previously stated that the “Make it in America” agenda includes Representative Ryan’s currency legislation (H.R. 2378, the Currency Reform for Fair Trade Act), which has been referred to the House Ways and Means Committee.
On July 21, 2010, the House Foreign Affairs Committee held a hearing on the Administration’s Joint Strategic Plan on intellectual property and protecting U.S. IP overseas.
The following are the trade-related hearings scheduled for July 26-July 31, 2010:
On July 22, 2010, the President signed into law H.R. 4213, a bill which extends initial eligibility for emergency unemployment compensation and 100% Federal funding for extended unemployment insurance benefits through November 30, 2010. While an earlier version of H.R. 4213, called the American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act, included cotton and wool fund provisions, the version signed into law did not.
On July 22, 2010, the following trade-related bills were introduced:
On July 22, 2010, the House Appropriations Committee ordered favorably reported the following bills:
On July 22, 2010, the Senate Appropriations Committee reported S. 3636, a bill making appropriations for the Departments of Commerce and Justice, and Science, and Related Agencies for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2011. (S. Rept. No. 111-229)