The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) on June 3 advanced FY15 funding legislation without amendment (here). The legislation has yet to be released, but the Senate Appropriations Committee said the bill would fund the International Trade Administration at $480 million, $10 million more than the FY14 enacted level. “The bill also supports the Interagency Trade Enforcement Center to aggressively tackle unfair trade practices hurting American businesses,” said a committee release, adding that the bill would appropriate $434 million above FY14 enacted levels for U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Counterpart legislation advanced through the full House on May 30 after lawmakers tacked on a number of trade-related amendments (see 14060202).
Recent trade-related bills introduced in Congress include:
The Heritage Foundation renewed calls to repeal the U.S. Department of Agriculture Catfish Inspection Program or, at bare minimum, prohibit its funding, Heritage analyst Daren Bakst said in May 30 report. The program was widely criticized by lawmakers and industry officials alike as House members and senators debated the measure in Farm Bill conference (see 13121124). President Obama ultimately signed the Farm Bill into law in February (see 14020713).
The House passed on May 30 fiscal year 2015 appropriations legislation for the Departments of Commerce and Justice, in a 321-87 vote. The bill would boost funding for trade agencies in the Commerce Department, such as the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and the International Trade Administration (see 14043029).
The House Appropriations Committee approved on May 29 agriculture appropriations legislation with a 31-18 vote. House and Senate subcommittees advanced respective agriculture appropriations bills last week (see 14052107). The House bill provides $142.5 billion in total funding for the Agriculture Department, the Food and Drug Administration and related agencies, including $20.9 billion in discretionary funding (see 14051919). Lawmakers tacked on a number of amendments during the House markup, including a measure to prohibit funding to purchase Chinese processed poultry for use in school lunch programs. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., offered the amendment.
Recent trade-related bills introduced in Congress include:
The House Appropriations Committee Subcommittee for Homeland Security advanced Department of Homeland Security fiscal year 2015 appropriations legislation by unanimous voice vote on May 28. Committee Democratic leadership expressed support for the legislation during the markup. Lawmakers did not offer or debate amendments to the legislation. The full Appropriations Committee will now consider the bill. The legislation would boost funding for CBP and mandate spending for completion of the Automated Commercial Environment (see 14052817).
The Commerce Department’s ongoing investigation of Chinese solar panel dumping in the U.S. market threatens to cost U.S. solar jobs and prevents cheap consumer access to solar power, said 23 House lawmakers in a May 28 letter to President Barack Obama. The administration should work to conclude a negotiated settlement with China over the dispute, said the lawmakers. Seven senators sent a similar letter to Vice President Joe Biden in April (see 14041111).
House lawmaker Diane Black, R-Tenn., introduced legislation on May 28 that would remove tariffs on a raft of electronic learning devices for children. The bill, the Elimination of Tariffs on Education for Children’s Act, would insert subheading 8543.70.94 into the Harmonized Tariff Schedule to provide for duty-free import of the learning devices. The legislation would replicate the duty-free status of 8543.70.92, a subheading that addresses electrical machines with translation or dictionary functions, flat panel displays and other goods. The bill would make the tariff removal on the products permanent, said Black, according to a spokesman. “Electronic learning devices have been used in hundreds of thousands of classrooms and households,” said Black. “Congress has already recognized the importance of eliminating duties on electronic educational devices and has approved three temporary tariff reductions under the Miscellaneous Tariff Bills since 2004.” Congress remains unable to find a trade legislation vehicle (see 14032429). The Black legislation has four co-sponsors.
The U.S. Chamber of Commerce decision to send a business delegation to Cuba this week disregards ongoing labor abuses and overwhelming state financial control in the country, said Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., in a May 26 letter to Chamber President Thomas Donohue. The Cuban government has implemented only “cosmetic” changes to its economic policy in recent years as a means to attract “badly-needed foreign investment,” said Menendez.