Lawmakers introduced the following trade-related bills since International Trade Today's last legislative update:
Senate Foreign Relations lawmakers lashed into a State Department official during a hearing on the recently-released Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report, arguing State officials made a calculated decision to upgrade Malaysia to Tier 2 on the report in order to pave the way for a smoother conclusion to Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations. Malaysia has made virtually no progress in putting in place changes to its policies and practices on human trafficking, said the lawmakers, led by Foreign Relations Chairman Bob Corker, R-Tenn., and ranking member Ben Cardin, D-Md.
The Senate Finance Committee approved the nomination of Marisa Lago for Deputy U.S. Trade Representative by voice vote on Aug. 5. Lago is currently the assistant secretary for international markets and development at the Treasury Department. The full Senate now needs to approve the nomination for Lago to join USTR. A spokeswoman for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., didn't respond for comment. The Senate is set to depart Capitol Hill on Aug. 6.
Lawmakers introduced the following trade-related bills since International Trade Today's last legislative update:
The Senate Finance Committee is set to vote on the nomination of Marisa Lago for deputy U.S. Trade Representative on Aug. 5 (here). The committee considered Lago's nomination in late July (see 1507230023). During that hearing, Finance Chairman Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, said he expects Lago to handle Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations. The committee, followed by the full Senate, will have to approve Lago before she joins the USTR team. Lago is currently the assistant secretary for international markets and development at the Treasury Department. Acting Deputy USTR Wendy Cutler would step down from her position if Lago is confirmed, USTR has said.
The Senate passed a three-month stopgap authorization for transportation and infrastructure projects just a day before funding elapses for those programs at midnight on July 31. The House approved the legislation on July 29 (see 1507300012), and the stopgap is now awaiting President Barack Obama's signature.
The Senate agriculture appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2016 falls far short of President Barack Obama’s budget request for the Food and Drug Administration, said Office of Management and Budget Director Shaun Donovan in a recent letter (here). “The bill cuts funding for the [FDA] by $304 million in total resources, or 6 percent, below the President's Budget,” Donovan told Senate Appropriations Chairman Thad Cochran, R-Miss. “The bill does not include the requested budget authority or new user fees proposed to enhance FDA capacity during a critical implementation period for the bipartisan Food Safety Modernization Act.” The broader agriculture bill puts in place a permanent framework for sequestration funding. The Senate Appropriations Committee passed the legislation on July 16 with broad bipartisan support (here). Donovan recently rejected House FY16 funding for the Department of Homeland Security (see 1507140012), and criticized a Senate Commerce Department proposal (see 1506260009).
Repeal of U.S. country-of-origin labeling is the “only way” to avert billions of dollars in Canadian retaliation on U.S. exports, said Canadian Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz in a July 30 statement (here). Ritz tore into the voluntary COOL proposal introduced roughly a week ago by Sens. John Hoeven, R-N.D., and Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich. (see 1507240019). “Senators Hoeven and Stabenow’s proposal in no way reflects Canada’s voluntary labelling regime – any suggestion of this is blatantly false. A voluntary regime as they propose does not require legislation,” said the statement. “By continuing the segregation of and discrimination against Canadian cattle and hogs, Senators Hoeven and Stabenow's proposed measure will continue to harm farmers, ranchers, packers, retailers and consumers.”
Lawmakers introduced the following trade-related bills since International Trade Today's last legislative update:
The U.S. must ensure Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiating parties modify their domestic laws and other policies to bring them into compliance with TPP commitments before a final agreement takes effect, said 18 House Democrats in a July 29 letter to President Barack Obama. “It is imperative that all of the TPP nations understand that the U.S. implementing legislation for the TPP will include the standard requirement that formal written notification to other TPP countries of U.S. completion of its legal requirements to implement the TPP be withheld until and unless our trade partners are in compliance with all of the TPP’s terms,” said the lawmakers, led by Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., and Collin Peterson, D-Minn. That stipulation caused a “years-old delay” in implementation of the Central America Free Trade Agreement following its ratification by all parties, said the letter (here). “Therefore, it is important for our TPP partners to be well apprised of this requirement in advance.” DeLauro and the other House Democrats also called on U.S. negotiators to certify no TPP partners are considered currency manipulators. All the TPP parties must bring their laws into compliance on labor, environment, telecommunications, corruption and human rights, the letter said.