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.

Tariffs. The Increasing American Ferrosilicon Production Act (introduced Sept. 27 by Sens. Brown, D-Ohio, and Tuberville, R-Ala.) would (1) increase duties on Russian ferrosilicon (used to improve the strength and quality of steel) in line with other types of silicon duties, (2) require a comment period for U.S. producers to weigh in with the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative when it considers increases in duties, and (3) extend for another year the president’s authority to continue increasing duties on products from Russia and Belarus.

The India Shrimp Tariff Act (introduced Sept. 28 by Sen. Cassidy, R-La.) would increase import duty rates on shrimp originating from India.

Textiles. A bipartisan group of Senators wrote to President Biden Sept. 28 to “raise the alarm regarding troubling trade and economic trends with devastating implications for U.S. textile and apparel manufacturing.” In response they called for a high-level interagency effort to (1) increase enforcement of “forced labor-subsidized textiles and apparel flooding into the U.S. marketplace from China and other Asian suppliers, and reported customs fraud undermining manufacturing in our Western Hemisphere free trade agreement regions,” (2) examine ways to “end duty-free treatment for Section 321 de minimis e-commerce shipments of textiles and apparel that are the product of forced labor supply chains,” and (3) identify “readily available trade remedies and safeguards that can be utilized to mitigate the damage to U.S. and regional textile manufacturers by China’s predatory trade practices and provide expedited relief to U.S. manufacturers and workers.”

AGOA. The AGOA Extension Act (S. 2952, introduced Sept. 27 by Sen. Kennedy, R-La.) would extend the African Growth and Opportunity Act through September 2045.

Labeling. The Reinforcing American-Made Products Act (S. 2930, introduced Sept. 26 by Sen. Lee, R-Utah) would make exclusive the authority of the federal government to regulate the labeling of products made in the U.S. and introduced in interstate or foreign commerce.

E-commerce. The Stopping Harmful Offers on Platforms by Screening Against Fakes in E-Commerce Act (S. 2934, introduced Sept. 26 by Sens. Coons, D-Del., and Tillis, R-N.C.) seeks to reduce the availability of counterfeit products online by (1) establishing trademark infringement liability for e-commerce platforms when a third party sells a counterfeit product that poses a risk to consumer health or safety and that platform has not implemented certain best practices, (2) requiring brand owners to provide platforms with advanced notice of their mark(s) and a point of contact so the platforms can implement proactive measures to prevent sales of counterfeit goods, and (3) providing a safe harbor from liability for platforms that vet sellers to ensure their legitimacy, remove counterfeit listings, and remove sellers who repeatedly sell counterfeits.

Supply chains. The SHIELD Act (H.R. 5703, introduced Sept. 26 by Reps. DeLauro, D-Conn., and Banks, R-Ind.) would establish an Office of Economic and Security Preparedness and Resilience to set priorities to ensure resilient U.S. supply chains and robust domestic production in sectors vital to national security and thus help eliminate supply chain dependency on China.

Exports. The Prioritizing Offensive Agricultural Disputes and Enforcement Act (S. 2992, introduced Sept. 28 by Sen. Cassidy, R-La.) would require the establishment of a joint task force to identify and eliminate barriers to U.S. agriculture exports.

Imports. The Stop Arming Cartels Act (S. 2926, introduced Sept. 26 by Sen. Durbin, D-Ill.) would prohibit the importation, sale, manufacture, transfer, or possession of .50 caliber rifles.

Origin. H.R. 5714 (introduced Sept. 26 by Rep. Khanna, D-Calif.) would require the Government Accountability Office to report on the country of origin of end items and components procured by Department of Defense.

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