The Congressional Research Service has issued a report on the labor issues and arguments related to the pending proposed U.S.-Colombia Free Trade Agreement (CFTA).
On June 8, 2011, the following trade-related bill was introduced:
The following hearings, markups, or meetings are scheduled for June 9, 2011:
On June 8, 2011, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation ordered favorably reported S. 50, a bill to strengthen Federal consumer product safety programs and activities with respect to commercially-marketed seafood by directing the Secretary of Commerce to coordinate with the Federal Trade Commission and other appropriate Federal agencies to strengthen and coordinate those programs and activities.
The Congressional Research Service has issued a report stating that the trade effects of the Andean Trade Preference Act/Andean Trade Promotion and Drug Eradication Act (ATPA/ATPDEA) on the U.S. economy have been minimal, and some critics of the ATPA argue that trade preferences should not be extended.
The following are the trade-related hearings scheduled for June 7-11, 2011:
At a recent House Energy and Commerce Committee Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations hearing, an official from the Office of Management and Budget discussed issues relating to regulation and Executive Order 13563 - Improving Regulation and Regulatory Review. The official noted that thirty departments and agencies released their preliminary plans for the retrospective review of existing rules/regulations and that some of the steps outlined in the plans have already eliminated hundreds of millions of dollars in annual regulatory costs, and over $1 billion in savings can be expected in the near future. Over the coming years, the reforms have the potential to eliminate billions of dollars in regulatory burdens.
At a recent House Homeland Security Committee Subcommittee on Transportation Security hearing, an official from the Transportation Security Administration discussed agency efforts for securing air cargo. The official stated that TSA has and will continue to focus air cargo resources to ensure continued compliance domestically with the 100% screening requirement, and to work toward further risk-based screening of international inbound air cargo on passenger and all-cargo aircraft.
On June 3, 2011, 15 Democratic Representatives, including the Ranking Members of the House Ways and Means Committee and its Trade Subcommittee, sent a letter to the U.S. Trade Representative urging the inclusion of strong, enforceable environmental provisions in the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), similar to the ones in the Peru FTA and pending FTAs with Korea, Colombia and Panama1.
On June 7, 2011, during remarks on the Senate floor, Senate Minority Leader McConnell (R) and Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Hatch (R), called on the Administration to send the pending free trade agreements1 with Korea, Colombia, and Panama to Congress, and deal with the renewal of Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) separately.