Background

For more information on pursuing trade policy interests through the legislative process, please contact Nicole Bivens Collinson at (202) 730-4956 or via email.

Click here to register for ST&R’s March 16 webinar on how the new Congress will impact U.S. trade policy.

Tariffs. The Countering Economic Coercion Act (H.R. 1135, introduced Feb. 21 by Reps. Meeks, D-N.Y., and Cole, R-Okla.) would grant the following authorities to the president to support partners and allies facing economic coercion by other countries: (1) increase duties on imports from foreign adversaries committing economic coercion, (2) decrease duties on non-import-sensitive goods imported from countries subject to coercion, (3) seek congressional appropriations to support foreign aid, export financing, and sovereign loan guarantees to such countries, (4) expedite export licensing decisions and regulatory processes to facilitate trade with such countries, and (5) waive certain policy requirements to facilitate export financing, allowing the U.S. private sector to meet opportunities in affected countries.

The Haiti Economic Lift Program Extension Act (S. 552, introduced Feb. 28 by Sen. Rubio, R-Fla.) would extend the Haitian Economic Lift Program, which provides duty-free treatment for apparel products produced in Haiti, to 2035.

China. The China is Not a Developing Country Act (H.R. 1107, introduced Feb. 21 by Rep. Kim, R-Calif.) would ensure that China does not get preferential treatment in any international treaties, agreements, or organizations.

The Neutralizing Unfair Chinese Subsidies Act (H.R. 1137, introduced Feb. 21 by Rep. Nunn, R-Iowa) would require the Treasury Department to (1) create a detailed strategy and timeline to ensure compliance by China with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development Arrangement on Officially-Supported Export Credits and (2) negotiate a substantial reduction in export subsidies around the world in the next decade.

S. 585 (introduced March 1 by Sen. Rubio, R-Fla.) would require a determination of whether certain Chinese entities meet the criteria for the imposition of sanctions.

The Deter PRC Support to the Russian War Effort Act (H.R. 1368, introduced March 3 by Rep. Schiff, D-Calif.) would impose sanctions with respect to (1) the transfer of arms and related materiel by China to Russia or (2) the evasion or circumvention of U.S. or multilateral sanctions by China with respect to Russia.

FTAs. The Undertaking Negotiations on Investment and Trade for Economic Dynamism Act (S. 629, introduced by Sens. Coons, D-Del., and Thune, R-S.D.) would provide the president with the authority to enter into a comprehensive trade agreement with the United Kingdom.

CBP. S. 758 (introduced March 9 by Sen. Daines, R-Mont.) and H.R. 1568 (introduced March 10 by Reps. Waltz, R-Fla., and Pascrell, D-N.J.) would require U.S. Customs and Border Protection to remove personally identifiable information from cargo manifests before public disclosure.

Cuba. The Freedom to Export to Cuba Act (S. 653, introduced March 2 by Sens. Klobuchar, D-Minn., and Moran, R-Kan.) would repeal the current legal restrictions against doing business with Cuba, including the original 1961 authorization for establishing the trade embargo, subsequent laws that required enforcement of the embargo, other restrictive statutes that prohibit transactions between U.S.-owned or -controlled firms and Cuba, and limitations on direct shipping between U.S. and Cuban ports.

Information Technology. The Restricting the Emergence of Security Threats that Risk Information and Communications Technology Act (S. 686, introduced by Sens. Warner, D-Va., and Thune, R-S.D.) would (1) require the Department of Commerce to establish procedures to identify, deter, disrupt, prevent, prohibit, and mitigate transactions involving ICT products in which any foreign adversary has any interest and poses undue or unacceptable risk to U.S. national security, (2) prioritize the evaluation of ICT products used in critical infrastructure, integrated into telecom products, or pertaining to a range of defined emerging, foundational, and disruptive technologies with serious national security implications, and (3) ensure comprehensive actions to address risks of untrusted foreign ICT products by requiring the DOC to consider concerning activity identified by other government entities.

Oil and Gas. H.R. 1130 (introduced Feb. 21 by Rep. Johnson, R-Ohio) would repeal restrictions on the export and import of natural gas.

The Continuing Robust and Uninhibited Drilling and Exporting Act (H.R. 1481, introduced March 9 by Rep. Arrington, R-Texas) would restrict the president’s ability to impose an export ban on crude oil without first proving a credible national security risk.

Drugs. The Stopping Overdoses of Fentanyl Analogues Act (H.R. 1291, introduced March 1 by Rep. Fitzgerald, R-Wis.) would amend the Controlled Substances Act to list fentanyl-related substances as schedule I controlled substances, which would impose import restrictions on such goods.

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