For more information on pursuing trade policy interests through the legislative process, please contact Nicole Bivens Collinson at (202) 730-4956 or via email.
Tariffs. In a Nov. 20 letter, two Democrat senators called on President Biden to maintain Section 301 tariffs on imports from China and Section 232 tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum. “The underlying economic reasons and market conditions for why the tariffs were imposed have not changed,” the letter said, and potential reductions could “enable China and other global competitors to resume their anti-competitive activities without consequences.”
Outbound investment. Dozens of senators wrote to the leaders of the House and Senate Armed Services committees Nov. 20 asking them to ensure that the National Defense Authorization Act of 2024 includes language approved earlier this year by the Senate that would establish an outbound investment screening program requiring U.S. entities to notify the federal government of investments and activities in specific technology sectors in countries of concern. The letter pointed out that the U.S. has deployed a number of tools to “protect against technology theft by our adversaries,” including export controls, sanctions, and inbound foreign investment screening, but that none of these tools “fully address the specific risk posed by the transfer of U.S. capital and know-how to our adversaries.”
Product safety. H.R. 6468 (introduced Nov. 21 by Rep. Pallone, D-N.J.) would provide that certain water beads products shall be considered banned hazardous products under section 8 of the Consumer Product Safety Act. Pallone noted that water beads are colorful, water-absorbing balls sold as children’s toys that often look like candy.
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