Export Promotion Reform Bill Introduced in House

A recently introduced House bill would amend the Export Promotion Act, giving budget review authority to the Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee and requiring better coordination on export efforts among government agencies. The bill, HR-1409, The Export Promotion Reform Act, is a repeat of one that passed the House last year, but was never acted on in the Senate (see 12053114). Introduced April 9 by Rep. Eliot Engel, D-N.Y., it requires creation of a plan to assess global markets for the best opportunities to increase exports, seeks the recommendations of U.S. firms and workers on export promotion and requires State Department diplomatic staff to develop country-specific plans to increase U.S. exports. The bill also requires the TPCC to improve current export promotion programs and review and approve annual export promotion budgets. “We must cut through bureaucratic red tape and encourage home grown industries and manufacturers to expand their businesses, hire more workers, and export their products overseas,” said Engel in a statement. “This is not a Democratic or Republican bill, but a job creating bill that puts American workers first.”