The House passed the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 (here) on Oct. 28. The legislation, which sets spending levels for the next two years, doesn't include any trade-related provisions. Lawmakers originally floated the bill late on Oct. 26. The Senate began debate on the bill on Oct. 29, and a procedural vote on the legislation will come on Oct. 30 at the latest, said Senate Republican leadership. The White House gave its support to the agreement, which was brokered in secret over recent weeks, on Oct. 28. "The administration urges the Congress to pass this bipartisan agreement and looks forward to working with the Congress to enact responsible, full‑year [fiscal year] 2016 appropriations – without ideological riders – based on this agreement in order to continue growing the nation's economy and creating jobs," said the White House.
The diversion of $4 billion in customs user fees to unrelated transportation projects in the six-year Senate highway bill would damage CBP’s ability to increase its staffing to authorized levels, the National Treasury Employees Union said in an Oct. 28 statement (here). House Democrats recently lashed into that use of the fees, arguing they should be applied to facilitation and border functions (see 1510150029). “Sufficient CBP staffing must be provided to ensure security and mitigate long wait times at our nation’s air, sea and land ports of entry,” said new NTEU President Tony Reardon in the statement. “There is perhaps no greater roadblock to legitimate trade and travel efficiency than the shortage of staff at the ports. Understaffed ports lead to long delays for the traveling public and in commercial lanes as cargo waits to enter U.S. commerce. Those delays result in real losses to the U.S. economy.” CBP has struggled to fill the additional hires (see 1504230030). The House introduced a long-term bill in recent days, but Ways and Means lawmakers haven't yet provided funding sources for the legislation (see 1510260009). The Senate gave the go-ahead on a three-week highway stopgap on Oct. 28 in a move that sends the legislation to President Barack Obama.
The House elected Ways and Means Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wis., as House Speaker on Oct. 29 with 236 votes in favor. The House Republican caucus voted internally on Oct. 28 to appoint Ryan to that title in a move that paved the way for the full chamber vote. Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee Chairman Pat Tiberi, R-Ohio, and Health Subcommittee Chairman Kevin Brady, R-Texas, are among those vying for the Ways and Means Committee gavel (see 1510270004). A committee spokesman said he's unclear on the timing of the Ways and Means election.
Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Bob Corker, R-Tenn., and ranking member Ben Cardin, D-Md., introduced legislation, S-2201 (here), in recent days to boost U.S. assistance for trade relations with developing countries. The bill, dubbed The Global Gateways Trade Capacity Act, creates a five-year pilot program to help those countries implement the World Trade Organization Trade Facilitation Agreement.
Correction: Rep. Lou Barletta, R-Pa., is not on the House Ways and Means Committee (see 1510260021).
The House is set to vote on legislation, HR-597 (here), on Oct. 27 to reauthorize the Export-Import Bank through 2019 after a bipartisan group of House lawmakers, including 62 Republicans, backed a rarely-used procedural mechanism the day before to force a vote on the underlying bill. No Democrats opposed the legislation, and House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, D-Md., praised bipartisan support for the credit agency on the House floor. A “discharge petition” earlier in October paved the way for the series of votes on Ex-Im (see 1510140015). The Exporters for Ex-Im, an association of business that has led the charge for reauthorization, also applauded the legislative movement. “We urge the House to finish its work on this critical issue and ensure that the Ex-Im Bank reauthorization is signed into law as soon as possible to help manufacturers and workers nationwide," the group said. Should the legislation pass the House, the Senate would still have to follow suit in order to reauthorize the credit agency.
Lawmakers introduced the following trade-related bills since International Trade Today's last legislative update:
The House Foreign Affairs Committee postponed a markup for the African Growth and Opportunity Act Enhancement Act of 2015, HR-2845 (here), it said (here) . The committee previously scheduled the markup, which typically involves an amendment process and a committee vote on the legislation, for Oct. 28 (see 1510230032).
Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, formally entered the race to succeed Paul Ryan, R-Wis., as Ways and Means chief over the coming days and weeks. Ryan is expected to claim the mantle of House speaker during the full House speakership vote on Oct. 29. Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee chief Pat Tiberi, R-Ohio, threw his hat in the race on Oct. 22 (see 1510230009). In announcing his bid (here), Brady described himself as a "champion of free trade." Brady previously chaired the trade subcommittee for a term that expired in 2013. The Ways and Means Committee is the top trade policy congressional body in the House.
The House is set to consider a stopgap surface transportation bill in the coming days after Transportation Committee leaders, alongside Ways and Means chief Paul Ryan, R-Wis., introduced that bill, HR-3819 (here), late on Oct. 23. The legislation would extend highway funding from Oct. 29, the current expiration date, through Nov. 20. House leadership is set to schedule a vote on the bill under suspended rules as early as Oct. 27, indicating it is likely to receive widespread support.