A discussion draft modifying a carbon border tax bill narrows the product list, removing fossil fuels, chemicals and other goods that were original targets of the Senate bill, which was introduced a year ago (see 2311030006).
Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., asked U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai to open a Section 301 trade investigation on Chinese garlic growers, arguing that the sector is subsidized by forced labor and "other unfair and unethical trade practices."
Restricting de minimis was never a natural fit for the defense policy bill, one of only two major bills expected to get a vote in the lame duck session of Congress. A bill to fund the government past Dec. 20 is the other.
Four senators, a pair from both parties, introduced a bill that would authorize the U.S. trade representative, with consultation with Congress about objectives, to negotiate specialized trade agreements focused on critical minerals and rare earth elements. Those trade agreements would also need to get a vote of approval from Congress before they could enter into force.
A bipartisan duo have introduced a bill that would require the administration to establish a "Denied Parties List" for exporters wishing to send packages under the de minimis exclusion, based on at least three past shipments of counterfeits, illegal drugs, or goods made with forced labor.
The House passed a bill that would create a task force in DOJ to increase prosecutions of tariff evasion, violations of the forced labor provision and ban on goods made in North Korea, trade-based money laundering and smuggling. The bill passed by a voice vote Dec. 3.
A bill that was recommended by the House Transportation Committee in May is now ready for a vote by the full House, if leadership chooses to do so, as the committee's report was completed this week.
More than 30 organizations, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America, asked House and Senate leadership to hold a vote on the Generalized System of Preferences benefits program during the lame duck session next month.
Six Republican senators, including President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to be secretary of state, Marco Rubio of Florida, reintroduced a bill that would prohibit the Biden administration from requiring that goods made in the West Bank be labeled as such, rather than labeled "Made in Israel." The senators, led by Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., are concerned that labeling items as from the West Bank would help the boycott, divestment and sanctions movement, which opposes the occupation of the West Bank, East Jerusalem, Golan Heights and Gaza. The BDS movement argues that those who support Palestinians' rights shouldn't buy goods from firms that either manufacture in those territories, such as Ahava, or allegedly support the Israeli army, like Sabra, oppress Arab citizens of Israel, like SodaStream, or provide technology for surveillance of Palestinians, like HP.
The leaders of the House Select Committee on China are asking Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel and her staff to examine the sale of Dahua Technology USA to Foxlink, as they believe it is an attempt to evade an import prohibition on Dahua cameras destined for government facilities, critical infrastructure surveillance or other national security uses.