For more information on pursuing trade policy interests through the legislative process, please contact Nicole Bivens Collinson at (202) 730-4956 or via email.
Pharma trade practices. H.R. 4780 (introduced July 29 by Rep. Arrington, R-Texas) would create the position of chief pharmaceutical negotiator to identify and take action against international trade practices of high income countries that unfairly exploit innovation by deviating from market-based policies and unfairly exploit U.S. innovation in this sector.
Forced labor. Legislation recently introduced by Sen. Sullivan, R-Alaska, and Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J. (the Uyghur Genocide and Sanctions Accountability Act of 2025 – S. 2560 and H.R. 4830), would, among other things, expand sanctions related to the Uyghur genocide, establish mandatory visa bans for foreign nationals involved in population control and abuse, and adopt a ban on Chinese seafood products in Department of Defense facilities due to forced labor links as well as government procurement bans for companies tied to Uyghur forced labor. A press release from Rep. Smith’s office described this legislative effort as “the most comprehensive U.S. response to date targeting the CCP's campaign of ethnic and religious persecution.”
Government procurement. The FORKS Made in America Permanency Act would permanently add stainless steel flatware to the Berry Amendment, requiring the Department of Defense to continue to source those products from the U.S. While stainless steel flatware was added to the Berry Amendment as part of the Fiscal Year 2025 National Defense Authorization Act, that provision is temporary and will expire Jan. 1, 2029, unless additional legislative action is taken.
Restrictions on LiDAR technology. Introduced July 29 by Rep. Johnson, R-S.D., the Securing Infrastructure from Adversaries Act (H.R. 4802) would prohibit the Department of Transportation from using foreign adversary digital 3-D mapping technology (LiDAR), which creates 3-D maps with millimeter-level data of surrounding environments. Rep. Johnson noted that “LiDAR is essential to modern infrastructure, but when it’s controlled by companies linked to the Chinese Communist Party, it becomes a security risk”.
IPR. Introduced Aug. 1 by Sen. Grassley, R-Iowa, S. 2677 seeks to expand the sharing of information with respect to suspected violations of intellectual property rights in trade.
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