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.
Canada and Mexico are moving “continuously closer” to leveling retaliatory tariffs on U.S. exports over U.S. country-of-origin labeling (COOL) on meat muscle products, dairy producers told members of the Senate in recent days, while urging them to quickly pass legislation that brings the U.S. into compliance with global trade rules. Canadian Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz has repeatedly threatened to retaliate as early as September over past months (see 1507310017), but the World Trade Organization hasn’t yet given the final go-ahead. The WTO convened a hearing on the dispute more than a month ago (see 1509040020).
Ways and Means Trade subcommittee chief, Pat Tiberi, R-Ohio, launched a bid on Oct. 22 to replace Paul Ryan, R-Wis., as Ways and Means chairman, should lawmakers endorse Ryan as the next House speaker. Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, the Ways and Means Health subcommittee chairman, is seen as another contender for the top Ways and Means post following his 2014 bid for that position (see 14092532). Ryan formally declared his intention to run for speaker on Oct. 22. Republicans will vote for speaker on Oct. 28, followed by a floor vote the next day (here).