Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) announced that the Senate Finance Committee will hold a hearing March 7, 2012 on the President’s 2012 trade agenda and U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk is to testify. On February 29, 2012 Kirk testified before the House Ways and Means Committee on the trade agenda.
During a February 29, 2012 testimony before the House Science, Space and Technology Committee's Subcommittee on Technology and Innovation, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) stated that it has worked with the National Institute of Standards and Technology to develop the online StandardsPortal (www.standardportal.org) to provide the type of information that large corporations can access to small and medium sized companies (SMEs) as well. The StandardsPortal is a free resource for U.S. exporters, as well as for those nations looking for guidance in best practices in standards of development. Intel Corp. also testified, stating that it participates in a variety of standards setting organizations - over 200 in all - and that voluntary standards are best, preferably globally, and should be emphasized over technical regulations (except in the areas of health, safety and environment).
On February 28, 2012, the House Judiciary Committee ordered to be reported with amendments by voice vote H.R. 511, a bill to amend title 18, U.S. Code, to prohibit the importation of various injurious species of constrictor snakes. After the bill is officially reported with its amendments, H.R. 511 will then move to the full House for action.
On March 1, 2012 the following trade-related bills and resolutions were introduced:
Bipartisan legislation concerning the Iranian government’s activities in the Western Hemisphere was approved by the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade on March 1, 2012. The bill, H.R. 3783, would require that no later than 180 days after the date of its enactment, the Secretary of State would submit to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations a strategy to address Iran's growing presence and activity in the Western Hemisphere. The bill now moves to the full Committee on Foreign Affairs for further consideration. H.R. 3783 as introduced is available here.
On February 29, 2012 the following trade-related bills and resolutions were introduced:
During the February 29, 2012 House Ways and Means Committee hearing on the President’s trade agenda, U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk testified that the U.S. is working with the governments of Columbia and Panama to fulfill their commitments so their free trade agreements can take effect soon. He stated that the administration wants to conclude the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) talks this year with an agreement that will address cross-cutting issues such as promoting regulatory coherence among countries, enhancing the participation of small businesses in Asia-Pacific trade, and building regional supply chains that promote U.S. jobs.
On February 28, 2012 the following trade-related bill was introduced:
The following are the trade-related hearings scheduled from February 28-March 2, 2012:
On February 28, the House Judiciary Committee will consider and vote on (mark-up) H.R. 511, a bill to amend title 18, U.S. Code, to prohibit the importation of various injurious species of constrictor snakes. After its consideration and vote, the bill will then move to the full House for action.