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Senator, U.S. Special Counsel Call for DHS Overtime Abuse Investigation
November 4, 2013 by Brian Dabbs|Congress

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) should investigate “widespread and systemic abuse” of overtime payments at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), said Senator Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., in a Nov. 1 letter to GAO Comptroller General Gene Dodaro (here). The abuse may be responsible for double such payments, considered Administratively Uncontrollable Overtime (AUO), for Customs Border Protection (CBP) personnel since DHS officials began investigations into the abuse in 2008, said Shaheen. Shaheen demanded GAO officials investigate the following:

Senate Banking Committee Approves Felton Nomination for Im-Ex Bank VP
November 1, 2013 by Brian Dabbs|Congress

The Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee gave voice vote approval on Oct. 31 to the nomination of Wanda Felton to serve another term as first vice president of the Export-Import Bank, a committee spokesman said on Nov. 1. Felton’s next term would expire on Jan. 20, 2017.

Bipartisan Senate Group Reintroduces the Affordable Footwear Act
November 1, 2013 by Brian Dabbs|Congress

Sens. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., and Roy Blunt, R-Mo., reintroduced on Oct. 31 the Affordable Footwear Act, S. 1633, along with a bipartisan group of six additional Senate co-sponsors. Cantwell has previously introduced Affordable Footwear Act legislation (here), most recently in 2011 (see 11052725). The bill eliminates a "hidden, regressive tax" on low-priced children’s footwear and some hiking boots that costs U.S. industry $800 million in duties, said the Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America (FDRA) in an Oct. 31 statement (here). “Unlike many other issues on Congress’s radar, the Affordable Footwear Act has broad bipartisan support and is non-controversial,” said FDRA President Matt Priest in the statement. “We are hopeful that this bill can be included in a trade package before the end of 2013.” Lawmakers and industry leaders have expressed support for the passage of an omnibus trade package in the coming months (see 13081212).

MTB Provisions Not Earmarks, Passage Critical, Says Norquist
October 31, 2013 by Brian Dabbs|Congress

The failure of Congress to pass a 2013 Miscellaneous Tariff Bill (MTB) is causing American manufacturers to pay “exorbitantly high” duties on the importation of component goods, said Grover Norquist, President of the Americans for Tax Reform, arguing that MTB provisions do not constitute earmarks. The Senate moratorium on earmarks has impeded progress on the chamber’s introduction of an MTB bill (see 13101607). There is no federal money spent on the provisions, said Norquist in a Oct. 29 letter to lawmakers. “They’re completely transparent and widely publicized on the Congressional website. Every single one is thoroughly vetted by the U.S. International Trade Commission, the Department of Commerce and other U.S. government agencies,” said Norquist. “And while earmarks benefit only a tiny few, MTB tariff-tax cuts provide tax relief to a wide swath of U.S. industry and help keep U.S. jobs right here in America.” Norquist urged passage of U.S. Jobs Creation and Manufacturing Competiveness Act of 2013, H.R. 2708 (here), introduced in July.

Topics:Customs duty
U.S. Should Sideline TPP, Focus on Trade Balancing, Says Rep. Kaptur
October 31, 2013 by Brian Dabbs|Congress

The House leadership should shelve focus on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) due to the lost domestic jobs and exacerbated deficit that will result from the final pact, said Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio, on the House floor on Oct. 29. The House should instead adopt the Kaptur-sponsored Balancing Trade Act, H.R. 192 (here), she said. The legislation would require the administration to outline actions to balance the trade deficit with every country with which the U.S. has a trade deficit, Kaptur said.

House Lawmakers Establish TPP Caucus
October 30, 2013 by Brian Dabbs|Congress

A group of House lawmakers will support of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) through a new caucus, said Rep. Dave Reichert, R-Wash., in a press release. The caucus, named the Friends of the TPP, is co-chaired by Congressmen Charles Boustany, R-La., Ron Kind, D-Wis., Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., and Reichert.

Senate Democrats Push 40 Bills as Part of Manufacturing Campaign, Includes CHB 'Customer Rules' Bill
October 30, 2013 by Brian Dabbs|Congress

Sens. Chris Coons, D-Del., Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., and 20 other Senate Democrats launched the Manufacturing Jobs for America initiative on Oct. 29, a campaign designed to push forward 40 trade-related bills (here). Among the bills is the FAIR Enforcement Against Duty Evasion Act. The legislation, yet to be introduced in this Congress, would create “know your customer” rules for customs brokers, implement improvements to the importer record database, and permanently eliminate the AD “bonding-in-lieu” provision for new shippers. Senator Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., last introduced the legislation in 2011 (see 11092222).