The Senate decisively passed 78-20 a "clean" stopgap funding bill to keep federal government funding at fiscal year 2015 levels through Dec. 11. The legislation is now sent to the House. Lawmakers in that chamber will have to approve the legislation, an amendment to HR-719 (here), before midnight on Sept. 30 to avoid a lapse in funding.
The Senate is likely to move onto Toxic Substance Control Act reform following a wrap-up of legislative work on the continuing resolution to extend federal funding past Sept. 30, said the office of Majority Whip John Cornyn, R-Texas, in a Sept. 29 memo. The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee approved in April a controversial TSCA bill, S-697 (here), which sponsors say aims to create a "predictable and transparent" federal regulatory system for chemicals (see 1504300027). The House decisively passed its competing bill in June (see 1506240010).
Lawmakers introduced the following trade-related bills since International Trade Today's last legislative update:
The Senate approved a procedural motion, referred to as cloture, on Sept. 28 to open debate on a "clean" continuing resolution that would extend federal government funding through Dec. 11. Nineteen lawmakers, all Republicans, opposed the stopgap measure, which is an amendment to HR-719. Unless Senate leadership reaches a deal with its members, the chamber isn't permitted a vote on the underlying stopgap until early Sept. 30. Should lawmakers approve the underlying bill, the Senate will have to send the legislation over to the House for passage before federal funds expire at midnight on Sept. 30. The Obama administration endorsed the stopgap in a Sept. 28 statement. "The amendment allows critical government functions to operate without interruption, providing a short-term bridge to give the Congress time to pass a budget for the remainder of the fiscal year," said the administration. Federal agencies released their contingency plans for a shutdown in recent days (see 1509280017).
The House moved to pass legislation on Sept. 28 to require CBP to report on the number of high-risk rail shipments that annually enter the U.S., as well as the status of radiation detection at rail crossings. The legislation, HR-2786 (here), will be considered under suspended rules, said the office of House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., in a Sept. 25 memo. That legislative tactic indicates the bill's passage is nearly guaranteed. The bill, introduced by Reps. Candice Miller, R-Mich., and Filemon Vela, D-Texas, requires CBP to submit the report to Congress on the following:
Nearly 160 House lawmakers, including dozens of Republicans, urged President Barack Obama in a Sept. 25 letter (here) to “incorporate strong and enforceable currency rules” in the Trans-Pacific Partnership, echoing months of pressure to that effect. Most countries, including TPP parties, have already committed to International Monetary Fund and World Trade Organization currency rules, but TPP offers an opportunity to put in place concrete punitive measures for currency violations, said the letter, led by Reps. Debbie Dingell, D-Mich., and Morgan Griffith, R-Va.
The House is set to vote on legislation, HR-2835 (here), to boost CBP hiring of military veterans on Sept. 28, roughly three weeks after the Senate gave the go-ahead on a nearly-identical bill. The House will hold the vote under suspended rules, said House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., in a Sept. 25 memo. House leadership uses suspended rules only for legislation doesn't face opposition.
Recent Chinese regulatory changes are threatening to block imports of U.S. alfalfa due to small traces of genetically modified organism traits, said a diverse, bipartisan group of House lawmakers in a Sept. 24 letter (here) to U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman. China has banned GMOs since 2001, but new policies launched in 2014 have led to testing for Low Level Presence (LLP) of GMO traits, said the lawmakers. “This change to destination testing happened without sufficient warning and threatens to shut out an unreasonably high percentage of the U.S. alfalfa crop, which has recently expanded to meet Chinese market demand,” said the lawmakers, which include Reps. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., and Matt Salmon, R-Ariz. Runoff, bee pollination and other environmental factors make it difficult for alfalfa producers to prevent any traces of GMOs, the letter said. “Trading partners such as the European Union accept that a LLP of the product’s DNA showing GMO traits is considered a ‘technical zero,’” the lawmakers said. “China previously did as well, but recent testing changes have resulted in U.S. alfalfa with a technical zero percentage of GMO traits being rejected at a very great expense to U.S. exporters.” The lawmakers urged Froman to prioritize alfalfa trade in upcoming communications with China.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., filed a motion to hold a Sept. 28 vote on a "clean" continuing resolution, after Senate Democrats banded together with a handful of Republicans on Sept. 24 to block an alternate continuing resolution bill that would have banned funding for Planned Parenthood and affiliates. The Obama administration said on Sept. 24 that the president would veto the bill banning Planned Parenthood funding if it made it to his desk (here). Current federal government funding expires on Sept. 30 at midnight. “The administration urges the Congress to pass full-year appropriations legislation for FY 2016 that excludes ideological provisions that are intended to advance a narrow political agenda,” said a White House memo.
Lawmakers introduced the following trade-related bill since International Trade Today's last legislative update: