For more information on pursuing trade policy interests through the legislative process, please contact Nicole Bivens Collinson at (202) 730-4956 or via email.
Import duties. S. 3103 (introduced Nov. 4 by Sens. Daines, R-Mont., and Murphy, D-Conn.) and H.R. 5917 (introduced Nov. 4 by Reps. Miller, R-W.V., and Panetta, D-Calif.) would repeal the so-called Jackson-Vanik trade restrictions, which deny unconditional normal trade relations status (i.e., column 1 import duty rates) for certain countries that have non-market economies and restrict emigration rights, and instead authorize the extension of NTR treatment to products of certain countries. The bill’s sponsors specifically named Central Asia (likely meaning Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan) as a beneficiary of such a change, noting that this region “is rich with natural resources that we currently largely source from China and Russia.”
De minimis. H.R. 5960 (introduced Nov. 7 by Del. King-Hinds, R-Mariana Islands) would permanently provide the privilege of de minimis treatment to the importation into the U.S. customs territory of articles originating from certain territories.
USMCA. H.R. 5926 (introduced Nov. 7 by Rep. Arrington, R-Texas) would require the U.S. trade representative to request a dispute resolution panel with Mexico under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada, initiate an investigation under the Trade Act of 1974, or require, during the first joint review of the USMCA, that Mexico comply with certain obligations regarding its state-owned electrical utility and petroleum company.
Exports. The GAIN AI Act (S. 3150, introduced Nov. 6 by Sens. Banks, R-Ind., and Warren, D-Mass.) would (1) prevent the export of advanced artificial intelligence chips to arms embargoed countries if there is unmet demand from U.S. companies, (2) ensure that U.S. companies have a “right of first refusal” to acquire these chips, and (3) allow trusted U.S. companies (such as large cloud service providers and chip operators) to move or operate advanced AI chips abroad without triggering full export control licensing as long as they meet stringent security and ownership criteria.
The BIS License Fee Prohibition Act (H.R. 5955, introduced Nov. 7 by Rep. Kamlager-Dove, D-Calif.) would prevent the imposition of fees in exchange for export control licenses (which the Trump administration recently announced plans for) by prohibiting the collection and obligation of any fee collected in connection with an export license and require the return of such fee to the holder of the license.
Labeling. S. 3096 (introduced Nov. 4 by Sen. Marshall, R-Kansas) would direct the Department of Agriculture to promulgate regulations modifying labeling requirements for beef and beef food products. H.R. 5954 (introduced Nov. 7 by Rep. Johnson, R-S.D.) would require USTR to determine a means of reinstating mandatory country of origin labeling for beef that is in compliance with all applicable rules of the World Trade Organization.
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