House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-California, omitted virtually all trade bills from the September legislative agenda, according to a memo he released to House Republicans on Sept. 4. The House is scheduled to stay in session from Sept. 8-11, 15-19 and Sept. 29-Oct. 2 (here). The chamber will then go into recess until the November mid-term elections. McCarthy pledged to pass a continuing resolution to continue government funding following the conclusion of fiscal year 2014 on Sept. 30. He is also prioritizing legislation related to foreign policy, employment generation, energy and healthcare during September. Legislation to reauthorize the Export-Import Bank is notably absent from the agenda. McCarthy vowed to oppose reauthorization in recent months, but some members are still scrambling to renew the bank’s charter prior to its Sept. 30 expiration (see 14062301). The agenda makes no mention of any tariff, customs or trade policy legislation.
The Sept. 2 Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service proposal to allow the importation of chilled and frozen beef from Northern Argentina may put U.S. cattle at risk of foot-and-mouth disease contagion, said Rep. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D. “Allowing beef imports from the Patagonia region of Argentina would risk the spread of an extremely contagious livestock disease," said Cramer in a release, while urging public comment. "My concerns about this rule echo those of cattle ranchers across North Dakota who want to protect the health and safety of their herds." The North Dakota Stockmen’s Association earlier in 2014 said APHIS prepared the proposal with insufficient research, Cramer added. Through the proposal, APHIS also recognizes Northern Argentina region as free of rinderpest (see 14082901).
President Barack Obama should level additional sanctions on the Russian banking, energy and defense sectors to counteract continued Russian violations of Ukrainian territorial sovereignty, said Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Robert Menendez, D-N.J., in an Aug. 30 letter, while urging the president to impose the measures in collaboration with European allies. Many U.S. policymakers, including White House officials, allege Russia has in recent days ramped up its military presence in Ukrainian regions that border Russia (here).
The Obama administration should recommend an expanded Food and Drug Administration budget authority in fiscal year 2016 to implement the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), rather than another request for increased use -fees to fund the law's implementation, said two House lawmakers in recent days. The White House asked for the FDA to collect user fees for food imports, as well as food facility registration and inspection, in its FY15 budget request (see 14030519). A 2013 district court decision led to a settlement between the FDA and the Center for Food Safety which requires the seven FSMA final implementation rules to be published between August 2015 and May 2016 (see 14022124). “No bill to authorize such fees has been introduced and even if enabling legislation is introduced this year, it is highly unlikely that any new law will be enacted in time to fund these vital FSMA implementation steps,” said Reps. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., and Sam Farr, D-Calif., in the letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell. Congress rejected the last five administration requests for user fees designed to implement the FSMA (here), said the lawmakers. If properly funded and implemented, the law is able to “deploy a truly risk-based oversight system and more fully secure our food supply,” the letter said.
The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative should “resume litigation” in the Guatemalan labor settlement process under the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA), said three Democratic Finance Committee members in an Aug. 27 statement. USTR gave Guatemala in recent days four more weeks to present documentation before the U.S. will reactivate the dispute process (see 14082602). “The latest deadline for Guatemala to demonstrate compliance with the labor enforcement plan is fast approaching,” said committee Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore., along with Sens. Ben Cardin, D-Md., and Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio. “Guatemala should receive no further extensions.” Both sides endorsed a Labor Action Plan in 2013. The U.S. is able to impose sanctions on Guatemala for its failure to comply with CAFTA labor mandates, but that may limit Guatemalan exports to the U.S., said industry representatives (see 14082701).
Increased competition from South American and Canadian paper production companies contributed to the near total shutter of an Old Town, Maine paper mill in recent days, said Rep. Mike Michaud, D-Maine on Aug. 26, while urging the Department of Labor to support a Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) petition filed on behalf of the roughly 200 workers at Old Town Fuel and Fiber. The agency should “expeditiously and thoroughly consider” the petition, Michaud said in a letter to Labor Secretary Thomas Perez. “The increased global competition has contributed to an overall decline of the paper industry, and these workers are likely to have significant difficulties locating other jobs in their sector,” said Michaud. “TAA will be critical in helping these workers receive the necessary training to find alternative employment.” The current TAA legislation expires at the end of 2014, and many Democratic proponents are insisting renewal legislation is passed along with other trade bills (see 14031036).
House Financial Services Committee leaders threatened in recent days to recruit the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform to require that three Export-Import (Ex-Im) Bank officials provide transcribed interviews on the credit agency. The bank continues to rebuff committee efforts to interview the officials, and also refuses to release records of Board of Directors meetings, said Financial Services Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling, R-Texas, along with Rep. Patrick McHenry, chairman of the Financial Services subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, in an Aug. 18 letter. McHenry asked Ex-Im President Fred Hochberg in a July 17 letter to make available Ex-Im employees Charles Hall, executive vice president and chief risk officer, David Sena, chief financial officer, and Angela Mariana Freyre, senior vice president and general counsel.
The United Nations Security Council should move quickly to impose sanctions on “senior members” of the South Sudanese government and opposition in response to ongoing turmoil in the country, said House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ed Royce, R-Calif., in a recent letter to U.S. Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power. Royce also urged the UN to “impose a comprehensive arms embargo on South Sudan,” saying more weapons in the country will fuel more violence. “A severe man-made humanitarian crisis, including a grave risk of famine, looms over the people of South Sudan for no fault of their own,” the letter said. “Political and military leadership of both the Republic of the South Sudan and the Sudan’s People Liberation Movement/Army In-Opposition have shown complete disregard for the well-being of southern Sudanese.” Royce criticized both sides of the conflict, which pits the government against its former Vice President Riek Machar, for refusing to honor a May peace accord (here).
New lobbyist registrations on trade-related issues include:
The Electronic Frontier Foundation, a civil liberties advocacy group, recently launched a signature campaign to pressure Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore., to propose Trade Promotion Authority legislation that strengthens trade negotiating transparency and prevents “extreme copyright and digital privacy provisions.” Wyden vowed in April to introduce new TPA legislation, following the introduction in January of a different TPA bill, but Wyden has not since announced progress in that effort (see 14040919). Some analysts have suggested the U.S. is pushing for stronger intellectual property measures than all other Trans-Pacific Partnership participant nations (see 14030520).