House lawmakers should rally together to pass Trade Promotion Authority legislation to lock down pending free trade agreements and boost U.S. exports, said the American Association of Port Authorities in a May 27 letter to House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. The U.S. economy is “inextricably entwined” with global commerce, and both the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership will help open international markets for U.S. products, said AAPA President Kurt Nagle in the letter. “Ports are ready to address the increased trade brought on by these trade agreements,” said Nagle. “We strongly urge you to make passage of the Trade Promotion Authority legislation a top priority.” The Senate passed its version of TPA, along with Trade Adjustment Assistance, on May 22 and sent that legislation to the House (see 1505260014). Nearly one-third of Senate Democrats, 14 in total, supported the package. The percentage of House Democrats likely to endorse TPA is expected to be far less (see 1504270008). Nagle emphasized the U.S. reliance on transportation infrastructure for economic growth.

Rep. Janice Hahn, D-Calif., introduced legislation in recent days to create a pilot program for 100 percent scanning of cargo containers at domestic ports. Hahn introduced the same bill in September 2014, but the legislation didn’t make it out of the House Homeland Security Border and Maritime Security subcommittee. The Scan Containers Absolutely Now Act, HR-2534, calls on the Homeland Security Department to launch a pilot program for the 100 scanning within one year of enactment of the legislation.

Lawmakers introduced the following trade-related bills since International Trade Today's last legislative update:

The House is poised to move on legislation to repeal country-of-origin (COOL) labeling in the coming weeks, but the Senate will be a bigger obstacle, even as Canada and Mexico are ready to retaliate on a laundry list of U.S. exports, said U.S. industry representatives in May 26 interviews. The World Trade Organization dealt a final blow to the U.S. with its rejection of an appeal roughly ten days ago (see 1505180018). The WTO’s Dispute Settlement Body will now consider and likely adopt the rejection at a meeting on May 29 (here), a procedural step that will pave the way for retaliation.

House Ways and Means ranking member Sandy Levin, D-Mich., called on House colleagues to defeat Trade Promotion Authority, if and when the chamber takes up the legislation, during speech on the House floor on May 21, according to a transcript released by his office. Congress must first establish confidence that the Trans-Pacific Partnership will deliver on the “progressive” promises made by TPP supporters before providing the administration in TPA, which puts in place expedited legislative tools to lock down free trade agreements, such as TPP. The pact so far shows no indications it will meet Democratic demands on intellectual property, access to medicines, investment stipulations and a broad range of other areas of negotiation. Levin again touted the merits of his version of TPA. Ways and Means Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wis., blocked the committee from voting on Levin’s version during the late April committee markup on trade legislation (see 1504270008). Levin says his TPA legislation (here) would force U.S. negotiators to adhere to specific congressional directives on trade policy. The House left the Capitol on May 21 for a Memorial Day recess. The chamber will reconvene on June 1.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., renewed his pledge to complete debate on Trade Promotion Authority and Trade Adjustment Assistance soon in remarks on May 22, and the Senate is gearing up to vote on a range of amendments and potentially final passage of the bills in the coming hours. Lawmakers still haven’t agreed on the specific amendments due for a vote, however, said McConnell. The chamber approved the day before a critical procedural step to pave the way for votes on amendments and the underlying bills (see 1505200047).

Lawmakers introduced the following trade-related bills since International Trade Today's last legislative update:

Senators introduced legislation to make it easier for telecommunications companies to do business with Cuba after a recent administration shift in policy. Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., introduced the Cuba Digital and Telecom Advancement Act (S-1389) Tuesday with co-sponsors Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., and Mike Enzi, R-Wyo. “As we work to open up relations with Cuba, ensuring Cubans can access the Internet and cellular technology is the first step toward lasting change,” Udall said in a statement (here). “Americans are eager to do business with Cubans and share information efficiently, but Cuba lacks the 21st-century technology needed for companies operating in a global economy.”

The House Agriculture Committee approved legislation to repeal most country-of-origin labeling regulations for meat muscle cuts on May 20 with a 38-6 vote. The legislation, HR-2393 (here), would end COOL requirements for beef, pork and chicken, but would keep them in place for lamb and venison (see 1505180065). A committee spokesman didn't respond for comment on whether the committee approved amendments during the markup. House Agriculture Chairman Michael Conaway, R-Texas, introduced the bill soon after the World Trade Organization shot down the final U.S. appeal in the COOL dispute with Canada and Mexico on May 18 (see 1505180018). Senate Agriculture Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kansas, also said he's willing to move forward with repeal.

The Senate is expected to resume consideration of Trade Promotion Authority and Trade Adjustment Assistance on May 20, hours after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., took procedural steps to schedule a series of trade votes on May 21. The Senate is poised to vote on two different cloture measures on May 21, one on the substitute amendment for trade legislation and the other for underlying TPA and TAA bills, Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., told reporters on May 20. The cloture votes, both of which need 60 votes in favor to pass, will then pave the way for a vote to pass the trade legislation before the Senate breaks for Memorial Day recess.