On June 13, 2011, Senator Dianne Feinstein (D), Chairman of the Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control, along with Senators Schumer (D) and Whitehouse (D) released the findings of a Congressional investigation that concludes American military-style weapons are arming Mexico’s drug trafficking organizations at an alarming rate and policymakers are not adequately responding. The Senators' report urges Congress and the Administration to strengthen firearms laws to stem drug-related violence.
The following are the trade-related hearings scheduled for June 13-18, 2011:
In May 26, 2011 testimony before the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, Secretary of Agriculture Vilsack stated that the U.S. will play a big role in meeting the expected 70-100% increase in food demand by 2050, however, a more liberalized global trade regime and better trade rules are needed to facilitate this trade. Private sector participants testified that new food trade rules are needed that make abrupt export restrictions and export bans incompatible with WTO membership. They also urged the U.S. to enact its pending trade agreements, develop additional bilateral and regional agreements such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), and enhance efforts to conclude the Doha Round.
On June 1, 2011, a House Committee on Appropriations’ Subcommittee on Defense held a closed mark up of the fiscal year 2012 Defense Appropriations bill. The bill was approved and forwarded to the Committee without amendment.
On June 2, 2011, the House Committee on Homeland Security’s Subcommittee on Border and Maritime Security held a markup of the following: H.R. 1299, the Secure Border Act of 2011; H.R. 1922, to provide U.S. Customs and Border Protection with access to Federal lands to carry out certain security activities in the Southwest border region, and for other purposes; and H.R. 915, the Jaime Zapata Border Enforcement Security Task Force Act. H.R. 915 and H.R. 1299 were approved and forwarded to the Committee, as amended and H.R. 1922 was approved and forwarded to the Committee without amendment.
The following are trade-related highlights of the Executive Communications sent to Congress on June 6-9, 2011:
On June 9, 2011, the following trade-related bills were introduced:
On June 9, 2011, the Senate considered S. 782, a bill to amend the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 to reauthorize that Act. Pending amendments include (partial list):
On June 9, 2011, the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs reported without amendment the Federal Acquisition Institute Improvement Act of 2011 (S. 762). Among other things, the bill would require updated government-wide training standards and certification requirements, more training programs, and other improvements to Federal procurement policy.
On June 8, 2011, the President signed into law H.R. 754, the Intelligence Authorization Act of 2011. H.R. 754 includes a provision which states that it is the sense of Congress that (i) railway transportation (including subway transit) should be prioritized in the development of transportation security plans by the intelligence community; and (ii) railway transportation security (including subway transit security) should be included in transportation security budgets of the intelligence community.