MTB Reform Momentum Stalled by Senator
An undisclosed Republican senator prevented fast track consideration of miscellaneous tariff bill process reform on April 28, preventing speedy approval of the legislation, according to a knowledgeable source. Senate Majority Leadership attempted to pass HR-4923, the American Manufacturing Competitiveness Act, under a unanimous consent procedure, which is used for quick approval of uncontroversial legislation but can be stalled by a single senator. The Senate Democratic Caucus cleared the bill, the source said. Despite the hold, there does not appear to be any "substantive issues on either side," said a lobbyist who's working on the issue. "It could have been entirely procedural -- perhaps a member wanted more time to consider it before voting," the lobbyist said.
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The Senate stands adjourned for recess until May 9, after which Senate consideration continues to be likely (see 1604280034), said the lobbyist. A spokeswoman for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said it had "no scheduling announcements on this legislation.” Majority Whip John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, didn't comment on the bill’s movement. The House passed HR-4923 on April 27 (see 1604270041).
Implementing the bill’s measures would cost $47 million from 2017 to 2021, and the International Trade Commission and International Trade Administration have indicated that they anticipate a major rise in petitions over the last round of miscellaneous tariff bill relief, “mostly because the public would no longer need to route their requests through the Congress,” an April 27 Congressional Budget Office study says (here). CBO estimates the agency will need 46 additional employees in fiscal years 2017 and 2020, when ITC will conduct petition reviews, CBO said. Those employees are projected to earn $165,000 on average, and to adjudicate about 2,600 petitions, CBO said. ITC will require $8 million in appropriations for fiscal years 2017 and 2020, each; and ITA will need the equivalent of 75 employees or contractors in those years, as well as $15 million in funding for each of the years, CBO said. But implementing the bill is not expected to affect the budgets of local or state governments, it said.