Sens. Max Baucus, D-Mont., and Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, are "copyright cowards" for calling for strong intellectual property protections in trade agreements and being proponents of trade promotion authority, which "empowers the White House to unilaterally negotiate and sign trade agreements," the Electronic Frontier Foundation said in a blog post. The senators' offices did not respond to requests for comment. Trade promotion authority "places a time-limit on Congressional debates on trade treaties, prevents Congress from proposing amendments, and reduces Congress to an up-or-down, yes or no vote on the entire treaty," leading to a situation where "radical changes to digital policies are controlled almost entirely by the executive," the group said. The post applauded Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., for taking "a stand" against Michael Froman’s confirmation as the U.S. Trade Representative "due to lack of assurances from him during his nomination hearings" that he would "improve transparency in the negotiating process."
Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Senator Robert Menendez, D-N.J., departed the U.S. on Aug.12 for a nine-day diplomatic tour through East Asia, and arrived in Japan the following day. The tour will usher Senator Menendez through Japan, Taiwan, South Korea and China. Senator Menendez is slated to meet with the American Chamber of Commerce in Japan, Japan Railway officials, the American Chamber of Commerce in South Korea and the American Chamber of Commerce in China.
Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., submitted a letter to President Barack Obama on Aug. 12, urging the president to direct the U.S. Coast Guard to review security protocol at an Everett, Mass. transit terminal that receives natural gas from Yemen. The Arab nation has been wracked by recent instability, as extremist groups including al-Qaida continue to operate in the country, said Markey. The Senator also expressed reservations over U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) gas export policy, in light of security concerns.
A group of bipartisan, high-profile lawmakers petitioned on Aug. 2 the International Trade Commission to investigate alleged Indian discrimination against U.S. exports and investment and intellectual property rights violation. Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., Ranking Member Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp, R-Mich., and Ranking Member Sander Levin, D-Mich., requested a thorough examination of India’s industrial trade policies and the impacts on U.S. commercial interests, for November 2014 submission.
Recent trade-related bills introduced in Congress include:
President Barack Obama praised the Senate confirmation on July 31 of Todd Jones as Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The ATF has not had a director in more than six years.
Senate Antitrust Subcommittee Chairwoman Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., is considering legislation this fall that would "clarify" the standards for issuing injunctions and U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) exclusion orders related to standard-essential patents, she said July 30. Witnesses at a July 30 subcommittee hearing had made it evident that some standard-setting organizations are taking antitrust concerns related to standard-essential patents (SEPs) "seriously" by voluntarily adopting best practices and updating their intellectual property rights policies, Klobuchar said.
Correction: Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., opposed the customs user fees collection postponement provision during debate in 2012 over a funding provision extension for the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) (see 13073016).
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., welcomed on July 30 an administration request for Trade Promotion Authority (TPA). According to a Finance Committee press release, Senator Baucus aims to push TPA passage in conjunction with Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA). The Senator co-sponsored a TAA bill that was introduced in the Finance Committee last week (see 13072513). “Trade supports good-paying jobs, and boosting our exports creates new opportunities for America’s farmers, ranchers, businesses and workers," said Baucus in the release. "Trade Promotion Authority and Trade Adjustment Assistance are two sides of the same coin, and together they make trade work. Passing both is critical to America’s trade agenda.”
The effort to pass Generalized Systems of Preferences renewal legislation before its July 31 expiration hit a roadblock July 25 when Sens. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., and Kay Hagan, D-N.C., objected to a request to use unanimous consent to pass the renewal legislation introduced by the Finance Committee, according to the Coalition for GSP renewal (here). Both halls of Congress introduced GSP renewal legislation during the week of July 15 (see 13071914). Sens. Coburn and Hagan did not immediately comment.