The chair and co-chair of the House Select Committee on China told an audience of Uyghur activists and others concerned about Chinese human rights abuses that they are pleased recommendations from their committee have become legislation.
David Hampton, deputy executive director, Trade Remedy Law Enforcement Directorate at CBP, told an audience at the Victims of Communism's annual China Forum that, over the next two years, CBP will be "reinvigorating our efforts to pursue penalties" with a team that's dedicated to administering penalties related to the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act.
Former President Donald Trump, speaking at campaign rallies around the country in recent days in his quest to return to the White House, has threatened to impose a 200% tariff on John Deere imports if it keeps expanding manufacturing in Mexico, and that he would do the same to anyone else that moved manufacturing to another country.
International Trade Today is providing readers with the top stories from last week in case they were missed. All articles can be found by searching on the titles or by clicking on the hyperlinked reference number.
The National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America, in a conference session preparing its members for a day lobbying on Capitol Hill, said that the NCBFAA is not arguing for or against a de minimis restriction proposal from Senate Finance Committee Chairman Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore. The proposal would require all goods entering in de minimis to be classified with a 10-digit Harmonized Tariff Schedule code and would bar apparel, footwear and other "import-sensitive" goods from eligibility.
Statutes and regulations administered by the Federal Maritime Commission will remain in effect if International Longshoremen’s Association members go on strike next week at container terminals at East and Gulf coast ports, the FMC said in an industry advisory Sept. 23.
While a top CBP official didn't give any specifics on how many brokerages were suspended from a pilot that allows electronic clearance of de minimis packages (see 2405310054), he told attendees at an annual National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America conference not to "be afraid of that enforcement," as the brokers who were suspended were so lax that there wasn't even anything that the companies could argue about with CBP.
USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is making changes to its list of Harmonized Tariff Schedule codes the agency plans to implement Phase VII of the Lacey Act provisions.
The Committee for the Implementation of Textile Agreements is adding a two-way stretch woven polyester, rayon, spandex fabric to the "short supply list" in Annex 3.25 of the Dominican Republic-Central America-U.S. Free Trade Agreement for items not commercially available in a timely manner, it said in a notice. CFI Textiles requested the additions in August. The fabric, classifiable under Harmonized Tariff Schedule subheading 5515.11.00, is being added in unrestricted quantities. Under short supply provisions of CAFTA-DR, fibers, yarns and fabrics listed in Annex 3.25 are provided with tariff preferences under the trade agreement.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative will open a docket for comments on Sept. 23 for views on proposed new Section 301 tariffs on 8101.94.00 (Tungsten, unwrought); 8101.99.10 (Tungsten bars, rods, plates, sheets, strip and foil); 8101.99.80 (Tungsten, articles nesoi); 2804.61.00, Silicon; and 3818.00.00 (Chemical elements doped for use in electronics.