On March 24, 2011, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Baucus (D) called the Chilean government’s decision to open its markets to all ages and all cuts of U.S. beef a significant victory for U.S. ranchers and for the American economy. Baucus, who pressed Chile to lift its unscientific restriction, said that Chile’s announcement is further indication that the U.S. should insist that its trading partners meet international scientific standards and lift all restrictions on U.S. beef.
The Transportation Security Administration testified at a March 15, 2011 House Appropriations Subcommittee hearing on the TSA’s fiscal year 2012 budget request. In his written statement, TSA Administrator Pistole noted that in light of current economic times, TSA identified and absorbed over $152 million in efficiencies and service reductions, redirecting resources toward frontline security operations.
On March 22, 2011, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Baucus (D), Ranking Member Hatch (R) and senior Committee member Grassley (R) called on China to reduce trade barriers to U.S. agricultural products following the release of a report by the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC). The report, requested by Baucus and Grassley, details the Chinese government measures that limit U.S. agricultural exports to China. The Finance Committee Senators said this report indicates a greater need for China to remove its harmful and unjustified barriers to U.S. agricultural products.
On February 17, 2011, Representative Michaud (D) introduced H.R. 763, the Safe and Efficient Transportation Act of 2011.
On March 15, 2011, Representative Thompson, Ranking Member of the House Homeland Security Committee, introduced H.R. 1105, the “Transitioning with an Improved Credential (TWIC) Program Act.”
On March 16, 2011, the House Ways and Means Committee ordered reported without amendment H.R. 1034, in order to “provide a clean extension of the Airport and Airway Trust Fund authority and of the associated excise taxes at their current rates, through September 30, 2014”.
The House Ways and Means Committee’s Trade Subcommittee has announced that it will hold the second in its series of hearings on the pending free trade agreements with Colombia, Panama, and South Korea. The focus of the second hearing, scheduled for March 30, 2011, is on Congressional consideration of the pending FTA with Panama.
On March 17, 2011, six Democratic Representatives, including the Chairman of the House Trade Working Group (which describes itself as against “unfair trade deals”), sent President Obama a letter and memo listing nine benchmarks that the lawmakers see as necessary for Colombia to meet before the U.S. considers ratifying its free trade agreement.
On March 10, 2011, a bipartisan group of 10 Senators1, sent a letter urging Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to provide updates by March 29, 2011, on the imposition of sanctions resulting from State Department investigations of international firms that have not yet committed to exit Iran's petroleum sector, pursuant to the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions and Divestment Act (CISADA).
On March 10, 2011, Representative DeFazio (D)1 sent a letter to Secretary of Transportation LaHood2 requesting additional details regarding the Administration’s plans to allow Mexican trucking companies to operate long haul in the U.S. While DeFazio was pleased that the Administration was engaging Mexico to begin to lift the tariffs Mexico imposed on certain U.S. goods, he is concerned that the U.S. is not launching a pilot program, but rather starting the full liberalization of cross-border trucking.