On February 29, 2012 the House Ways and Means Committee will hold a hearing on President Obama’s trade policy agenda with U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk and other witnesses. According to Committee Chairman Camp, the opening of new markets for U.S. businesses, workers, and farmers and strong enforcement of U.S. rights are essential to driving economic growth and job creation in the U.S.
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) traveled to Russia during February 17-21, 2012 to meet with senior government officials and discuss economic, trade, and foreign affairs issues, including Russia’s impending WTO accession, and to pursue new trade opportunities for U.S. businesses, ranchers and farmers. According to his office, Baucus, along with his fellow trade leaders in Congress, has insisted on holding Russia to a high standard through the WTO accession process to guarantee that American ranchers, farmers, workers, and businesses benefit. WTO members formally invited Russia to join the WTO in December 2011.
Dave Camp (R-MI) and Kevin Brady (R-TX), Chairmen of the House Ways and Means Committee and Trade Subcommittee, respectively, as well as Orrin Hatch (R-UT), ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, lauded the U.S. Trade Representative’s announcement of a March 15, 2012 effective date for the Korea-U.S. trade agreement. All three congressmen also urged action on entry into force of the Panama and Colombia FTAs. Senator Hatch noted that he would carefully scrutinize implementation of KORUS to ensure that Korea upholds its end of the agreement. Hatch further urged President Obama to request the renewal of Trade Promotion Authority (TPA).
On February 16, 2012, the Administration issued a press release stating that it sent Congress the Consolidating and Reforming Government Act of 2012, which would reinstate for two years certain authority that would allow the President to put forward, for expedited consideration by Congress, plans to consolidate and reform the Federal government for the 21st century. The President has stated that his first focus if enacted would be to consolidate the six agencies or parts of agencies that focus primarily on business and trade into one department. This would include: the Commerce Department’s core business and trade functions, the Small Business Administration (SBA), the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, the Export-Import Bank, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, and the U.S. Trade and Development Agency.
On February 17, 2012 the following trade-related bills and resolutions were introduced:
On February 13, 2012, Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) spoke on the Senate floor in opposition to non-germane amendments, as well as other procedural tactics, that have delayed consideration of S. 1813 (the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act, MAP-21), the surface transportation reauthorization bill currently before the Senate. Senator Boxer also entered into the record a letter sent to all Members of the Senate in opposition to non-germane amendments, which was signed by groups including the Automobile Association of America (AAA) and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
Both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives are not meeting in session during the week of February 20-24, 2012. They will return on Monday, February 27.
Congressman Don Manzullo (R-IL) is urging the Departments of Defense and State to expedite the final risk assessment of U.S. space export control policy required by Section 1248 of the 2010 National Defense Authorization Act, so Congress can move to lift export restrictions and allow more sales of non-sensitive satellites overseas. Manzullo states that the department’s May 2011 Interim Report not only concluded that transferring commercial communications satellites from the USML to the CCL would not pose an “unacceptable security risk,” but recommended that action.
In a February 13, 2012 letter, Congressman Mike Michaud (D-ME), Chairman of the House Trade Working Group, joined 26 of his colleagues in sending a letter to President Obama urging the Administration to bring a WTO case against China’s levying of anti-dumping and countervailing duties on imports of certain U.S. vehicles with engine capacities over 2.5 liters.
Before the Senate Budget Committee, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood stated on February 15, 2012 that the President is requesting $74 billion for DOT for fiscal year 2013, that will be paid for with saving achieved from ramping down overseas military operations. Included in DOT’s budget request is over $1 billion in FY 2013 for the NextGen air traffic control system and $4.8 billion over six years for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to ensure that commercial trucks and buses maintain high operational standards, while removing high-risk truck and bus companies and their drivers from operating.