The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) is requesting written public comment for the annual review of country eligibility for benefits associated with the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). The USTR African Growth and Opportunity Act Implementation Subcommittee of the Trade Policy Staff Committee will consider comments in developing recommendations for the AGOA’s 2014 calendar year. The comments should be submitted electronically via http://www.regulations.gov, docket number USTR-2013-0035, by Oct. 25.
"CBP revenue collections" will be among the Department of Homeland Security operations that will be exempt from an all-out agency stoppage in the event of a government shutdown Oct. 1, said a Sept. 27 detailed contingency plan issued by DHS.
The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) should release information that ensures that Uzbekistan-sourced cotton is not produced through child and forced labor, the main U.S. and Canadian purchasers of Bangladeshi cotton said Sept. 20 in a letter to the BGMEA. BGMEA plans to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Uzbek government, the letter says. The U.S. and Canadian groups cite reports that indicate Uzbekistan systematically traffics citizens for cotton harvest.
Members of the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America (NCBFAA) were meeting with lawmakers on Capitol Hill Sept. 24 to push them to move forward with several pieces of trade legislation. The meetings were part of the NCBFAA's Government Affairs Conference. At the top of the list of legislation brokers would like to see the next step be a customs reauthorization bill, according to a paper distributed by the NCBFAA to its members going to the Hill. Differences in the House over how the customs bill will treat antidumping/countervailing enforcement changes has emerged as a sticking point between Republicans and Democrats (see 13040911). NCBFAA "strongly supports passage of a robust customs reauthorization bill that provides firm direction to revitalize CBP's commercial trade facilitation and enforcement function," the paper said.
Lawmakers should pass Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) legislation this year in order to reinforce the Congressional-Executive Branch partnership, enable U.S. public and private officials to tackle emergent trade issues, and confront ongoing trade pact negotiations, said a group of trade associations in a Sept. 9 letter (here). The letter was addressed to Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., Finance Ranking Member Orrin Hatch, R-Utah., House Ways and Means Chairman Dave Camp, R-Mich., and Ways and Means Ranking Member Sander Levin, D-Mich. The letter said the U.S. trade community faces new challenges since the crafting of the last TPA in 2002, an authority that expired in 2007. Congress and the administration need TPA to close high profile, docketed trade pacts, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, it said.
CBP published on Aug. 29 its agenda for the quarterly broker meeting which will be held on Sept. 12 at 10 a.m. at 1100 Raymond Blvd. in Newark, N.J. Discussion topics will include ISF enforcement penalties, exam delays, ACE update and a GSP expiration update. Industry members may contact Linda Birck with any questions at 973-368-6107 or by e-mail at Linda.Birck@dhs.gov.
The Ranking Member of the House Ways and Means Committee, Sander Levin, D-Mich., traveled to Bangladesh Aug. 19 for a three-day visit following the Obama Administration’s withdrawal of Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) status to the country, said a committee press release (here). The lawmaker intends to meet with high-ranking government officials and non-government organization officials and to visit garment factories, it said.
International Trade Today is providing readers with some of the top stories for Aug. 12 - Aug. 16 in case they were missed.
Set to face a raft of legislative challenges unrelated to trade after reconvening on Capitol Hill in mid-September, congressional lawmakers appear positioned to push combined "omnibus" trade legislation, made up of a number of trade bills. That trade package prospect is increasingly likely due to heightened pressure resulting from recent legislative failures on trade bills, looming trade deal negotiation conclusions and Senate floor time constraints that restrict movement on individual bills, said observers.
International Trade Today is providing readers with some of the top stories for July 29-Aug 2 in case they were missed.