Recent trade-related bills introduced in Congress include:
Chairman of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Darrell Issa, R-Calif., asked Export-Import (Ex-Im) Bank President Fred Hochberg to submit to the committee information regarding allegations of corruption at the credit agency by July 23. The corruption concerns stem largely from a Wall Street Journal report in June that described internal Ex-Im investigations that sought to hold certain officials accountable for kick-backs and favoring specific companies for lending (here). “The committee is concerned that the breadth and seriousness of the allegations may suggest a broader culture of corruption at the Bank,” said a July 16 letter to Hochberg, endorsed by Issa and a subcommittee chairman. "These allegations call into question the Bank's commitment to high ethical standards."
House and Senate lawmakers should reconsider language in fiscal year 2015 defense appropriations legislation that requires military exchanges that source garments from Bangladesh to join the Bangladesh Accord on Fire and Building Safety, said several retail industry associations in a recent letter to appropriations lawmakers. The bill further requires the military to only contract with members of the accord. The accord, a mainly European coalition, was formed in the recent wake of a series of factory disasters in Bangladesh. Many U.S. and Canadian companies also then created the Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety (see 13071613). The Senate Appropriations Committee approved on July 17 a defense appropriations bill that originated in the House. The American Apparel & Footwear Association, National Retail Federation, Retail Industry Leaders Association and the U.S. Fashion Industry Association, all members of the alliance, endorsed the letter. The Defense Department would have to come into compliance with the requirement 90 days following enactment of the legislation (here). Full Senate approval and Presidential signature is now required for the bill to become law.
The Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Reauthorization Act will provide U.S. manufacturing reliable and lawful access to global supply chains and inputs and boost U.S. manufacturing trade, said Senate Finance Committee ranking member Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, in a July 17 statement at a committee hearing. The Customs reauthorization legislation would make trade facilitation and intellectual property (IP) rights enforcement priorities at CBP, he said. Congress has hit a persistent impasse on Customs Reauthorization measures in recent years (see 14062720).
House Ways and Means Committee Republicans reiterated in a July 17 letter a call to pass Trade Promotion Authority prior to the completion of Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations, even if agreement among TPP partners is struck only in principle. The letter, submitted to U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman, echoes statements made by House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp, R-Mich., in June at an event hosted by the Global Business Dialogue (see 14062002). “We were surprised when the president recently announced an ambitious timeline for completing the TPP negotiations, potentially by November, without mentioning how he would ensure the enactment into law of Trade Promotion Authority before concluding TPP negotiations,” said the letter, signed by all committee Republicans. “TPA must be enacted into law before the president completes TPP.” President Barack Obama is targeting November to close the TPP deal after consulting with Congress, he said in June. He will go on another Asia tour that month (see 14062318).
Recent trade-related bills introduced in Congress include:
The House passed on July 16 an amendment to prohibit funds from being used by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) to “finalize, implement, or enforce” a CPSC proposal aimed at making voluntary correction action plans legally binding. The amendment eked out passage with 229 votes in favor and 194 opposed. The amendment was tacked onto the House financial services appropriations bill for fiscal year 2015, which passed on July 16 along sharp partisan lines (here). Lawmakers approved nearly a dozen amendments in total (here).
The confirmation of Robert Holleyman as deputy U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) will provide the agency digital experience as that area of the trade agenda continues to grow in importance, said Senate Finance Committee Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore., in his opening statement at a July 16 hearing on the Holleyman nomination. Holleyman served as president of the Business Software Alliance for more than 20 years before stepping down in 2013 (here). “Digital trade has rapidly emerged as a major source of economic growth and innovation, and it is fundamentally reorganizing how goods and services are made and traded across borders,” said Wyden. “As significant trade agreements are taking shape, it is essential that USTR provide global leadership in the development of rules that make sense for a 21st century digital economy.” President Barack Obama sent the nomination to the Senate in February. Holleyman would replace outgoing deputy USTR Miriam Sapiro (see 14022705). The advocacy group Public Citizen recently chided Holleyman for supporting the proposed Stop Online Piracy Act and PROTECT IP Act bills, which some critics say infringe on online liberties (see 14041510).
The House overwhelmingly passed on July 15 an $11 billion measure to keep the Highway Trust Fund solvent through May 2015. The White House expressed support for the bill prior to the vote (see 14071514). The House roll call was 367 in favor and 55 opposed. The legislation is now sent to the Senate, which released a similar draft measure in recent days (see 14071110).
The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee approved the following trade-related nominations on July 15: