Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, a vocal trade critic, pushed U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman to release details on tariff cuts in the Trans-Pacific Partnership in an Oct. 22 letter. Doggett asked for “a complete, comprehensive list of each cut” that spells out the current tariffs in place, the final tariff reductions, the reduction schedule, rule of origin terms for auto parts, electronics, textiles and apparel, as well as other requests. Froman has touted TPP’s elimination of 18,000 “tax” cuts since negotiators wrapped up the talks in early October (see 1510050020). “It is important to provide this detail to understand how much exports from the U.S. will increase, if any, as a result of the tariff reductions,” said Doggett. “For example, a cut in the snowshoe tariff to Malaysia is not likely to impact our trade deficit. You have not advised what ‘tax cuts’ Americans can expect from the agreement.”
Congressional opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Obama administration’s broader trade agenda prevents the U.S. from tackling unfair trade practices abroad and directly threatens the U.S. agriculture industry, said House Agriculture Chairman Mike Conaway, R-Texas, in remarks at a hearing on foreign agriculture subsidies on Oct. 21. “The Trans Pacific Partnership has just concluded, but many question whether the newly minted agreement will have to wait until a lame duck session for Congressional consideration. Some speculate that Congressional consideration of TPP could just as easily slip into 2017,” said Conaway in an opening statement (here). “It does not take a trade expert to recognize that these are not good omens for the future of our nation’s trade agenda. Put simply: Americans are losing confidence in our trade deals.”
The House Foreign Affairs Committee is set to markup the African Growth and Opportunity Act Enhancement Act of 2015, HR-2845 (here), on Oct. 28, the committee said in a release (here). Foreign Affairs Chairman Ed Royce introduced the legislation in June, alongside a bipartisan coalition that includes Rep. Karen Bass, D-Calif., one of AGOA’s primary supporters. The legislation pushes for improvements to rule of law, electoral transparency and promotes the role of women in sub-Saharan African society. The bill calls on the administration to create an AGOA website, which would include information on technical assistance, outcomes of AGOA forums, as well as other materials. The legislation would also implement a number of measures to boost capacity building among AGOA beneficiaries.
Lawmakers introduced the following trade-related bill since International Trade Today's last legislative update:
A dispute settlement rapid response mechanism (RRM) for sanitary and phytosanitary concerns in the Trans-Pacific Partnership is poised to benefit foreign importers at the expense of U.S. food safety, said Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., in a letter (here) to U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman on Oct. 21. TPP partners agreed on that type of mechanism for the pact, Froman said in recent days (see 1510190005). USTR staffers have repeatedly declined to comment on the details of the mechanism.
The International Trade Commission, CBP and the Census Bureau launched efforts on Oct. 20 to track the content and volume of e-cigarette imports into the U.S. market, Senate Finance ranking member Ron Wyden, D-Ore., said in a statement that applauded that decision. The U.S. previously didn’t track e-cigarettes “under any national regulatory or revenue system,” the statement said (here). “The actual volumes and sources of these imports are unknown because current tariff schedules do not contain reporting codes specific to these products. Instead, they are imported under broad basket categories where e-cigarettes are included with electrical equipment such as strobe lights and hand-held calorie counters.” Wyden pushed the ITC to regulate e-cigarettes in a June letter (see 1506080024). A spokesman for Wyden said the "new data breakouts will show up in the Jan. 1, 2016 Harmonized Tariff Schedule."
Lawmakers introduced the following trade-related bill since International Trade Today's last legislative update:
The South African government allowed an Oct. 15 poultry reform deadline to lapse without implementing agreed-upon measures to allow U.S. exports to the South African market, said Sens. Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., and Chris Coons, D-Del., in an Oct. 19 statement (here). Those two lawmakers have led the charge over recent months to slash antidumping duties on U.S. exports and remove sanitation barriers (see 1509140023).
The House Transportation Committee, led by Chairman Bill Shuster, R-Pa., floated its version of a long-term highway bill (here) on Oct. 16, nearly three months after the Senate released its measure and less than two weeks before a range of highway programs expire. The six-year legislation, dubbed the Surface Transportation Reauthorization and Reform Act of 2015, now moves toward an Oct. 22 markup with strong bipartisan support. Ranking member Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., and Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, D-D.C., signed on as initial co-sponsors.
Five former Democratic National Committee chairmen urged lawmakers to back implementation legislation for the Trans-Pacific Partnership in an open letter released in recent days (here). Those former officials include Don Fowler, Paul Kirk, Ed Rendell, Roy Romer and David Wilhelm. A TPP pact will open critical new markets for U.S. exports and put in place regulatory requirements that benefit U.S. companies, said the letter. “The deal eliminates 18,000 foreign taxes on American goods and services — a huge step forward to ensuring that American businesses have a chance to play by the same rules as foreign businesses,” it said, repeating a common argument made by U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman since TPP negotiations wrapped up on Oct. 5.