Daily Update on Capitol Hill Trade Actions
"Daily Update on Capitol Hill Trade Actions" is a regular feature of International Trade Today. The following are brief summaries of recent Capitol Hill actions.
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Timely, relevant coverage of court proceedings and agency rulings involving tariffs, classification, valuation, origin and antidumping and countervailing duties. Each day, Trade Law Daily subscribers receive a daily headline email, in-depth PDF edition and access to all relevant documents via our trade law source document library and website.
CPSC Nominations Applauded by Certain Congressional Leaders
Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Chairman Rockefeller (D) issued a statement applauding President Obama's announcement on the Consumer Product Safety Commission's (CPSC) expanded funding and leadership. In addition, House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Waxman (D) issued his own statement in support of the President's actions.
National Animal Identification System Joint Hearing
On May 5, 2009, the House Agriculture Committee's Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry and the House Homeland Security Committee's Subcommittee on Emerging Threats, Cybersecurity, and Science and Technology held a joint hearing to examine role of the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) in protecting U.S. producers and consumers from the effects of an animal disease outbreak.
Congressmen Ask President to Protect Foreign Markets for Pork
The Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee has issued a press release announcing that a bipartisan, bicameral Congressional delegation sent a letter on May 5, 2009 to the President asking his help to combat unfounded concerns that are impeding pork trade in domestic and export markets as a result of the H1N1 flu outbreak. The letter asks the President, along with Secretary of Agriculture Vilsack, and U.S. Trade Representative Kirk, to continue to place a high priority on maintaining access to pork and meat export markets around the world.
Trade-Related Bills Introduced on May 6, 2009
On May 6, 2009, the following trade-related bills were introduced:
| Internet gambling | H.R. 2267. A bill to amend title 31, United States Code, to provide for the licensing of Internet gambling activities by the Secretary of the Treasury, to provide for consumer protections on the Internet, to enforce the tax code, and for other purposes |
| Cuba trade embargo | H.R. 2272. A bill to lift the trade embargo on Cuba, and for other purposes |
| Iran, Syria, North Korea | H.R. 2290. A bill to provide for the application of measures to foreign persons who transfer to Iran, Syria, or North Korea certain goods, services, or technology that could assist Iran, Syria, or North Korea to extract or mill their domestic sources of uranium ore |
| Public health advisory committee on trade | H.R. 2293. A bill to amend the Trade Act of 1974 to require a Public Health Advisory Committee on Trade to be included in the trade advisory committee system, to require public health organizations to be included on the Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations and other relevant sectoral or functional advisory committees, and for other purposes |
If it is determined that any of the above Congressional actions, hearings, or bills warrant more in-depth coverage, such information will be provided separately in a future issue of International Trade Today.