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Below find trade policy introduced in the 112th Congress. Please note that this is all trade policy, not necessarily supported or opposed by the House Trade Working Group.
LEGISLATION PERTINENT TO TRADE – 112TH CONGRESS
Legislation: , To provide for the withdrawal of the United States from the North American Free Trade Agreement.
Sponsor: Mike McIntyre (D-NC-7)
Co-sponsors: Baca, Capuano, DeFazio, Filner, Jones, Kaptur, Kissell, Michaud, Paul, Woolsey
CRS Summary: Withdraws Congress's approval of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Directs the President to provide written notice of the withdrawal to the governments of Canada and Mexico.
Legislation: H.R. 375, Fix United States Government Contracting Deficit with China Act
Sponsor: Dale Kildee (D-MI-5)
Co-sponsors: Green, Jones, Kaptur, Kissell, Lipinski, Woolsey
CRS Summary: Fix United States Government Contracting Deficit with China Act - Directs the Secretary of Commerce to certify annually to Congress: (1) a determination of whether the Chinese government has prohibited its procurement of U.S. goods during the preceding calendar year; and (2) the total value of U.S. goods procured by the Chinesse government during that year, if the Chinese government has not prohibited such procurement.
Prohibits the head of each executive agency from awarding a contract for the procurement of Chinese goods during the succeeding calendar year if the Chinese government has prohibited procurement of U.S. goods during the preceding calendar year.
Directs the Secretary of Transportation (DOT), in such an instance, to prohibit a state or other entity from using funds made available to it from the Highway Trust Fund or the Airport and Airway Trust Fund for the award of a contract for the procurement of Chinese goods during the succeeding calendar year.
Limits the total value of Chinese goods that may be procured by the U.S. government during the succeeding calendar year to the total value of U.S. goods procured by the Chinese Government during the preceding calendar year, if in fact the Chinese government has not prohibited its procurement of U.S. goods during that preceding calendar year.
Directs the International Trade Administration to establish a program to: (1) identify annually the total value of U.S. goods procured by the Chinese government; and (2) provide notice in the Federal Register on or as soon as practicable after the date on which the total value of Chinese goods procured by the U.S. government equals 50%, 75%, and 100% of the total value of U.S. goods procured by the Chinese government during the preceding calendar year, for purposes of compliance with the limitation required by this Act.
Legislation: H.R. 516, the Bring Jobs Back to America Act
Sponsor: Frank Wolf (R-VA-10)
Cosponsor: Austria, Forbes, Kaptur, Kissell, Lipinski, Manzullo, McKinley, Rogers, Ruppersberger, Wittman
CRS Summary: Bring Jobs Back to America Act - Directs the Secretary of Commerce to create a comprehensive national manufacturing strategy to increase overall domestic manufacturing, create private sector jobs, identify emerging technologies, and identify a strategy for repatriating jobs to the United States. Requires the Secretary to: (1) establish targets for manufacturing growth; (2) conduct biennial surveys of U.S. businesses that maintain manufacturing facilities or customer service centers outside the United States; and (3) report on survey results.
Directs the Secretary to establish multiple repatriation task forces to promote repatriation (return of a job or facility from a foreign country location to a U.S. location).
Establishes the American Economic Security Commission to establish and carry out a program to improve U.S. competitiveness in the global economy through technology-based planning.
Amends the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965 to make eligible for assistance under such Act projects to facilitate: (1) the relocation to the United States of a foreign source of employment; and (2) the growth of the U.S. manufacturing or customer service sector.
Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to study the feasibility and potential impact of new tax provisions to encourage U.S. companies to return jobs to the United States.
Amends federal patent law to revise requirements regarding the publication of patent applications. Requires abstracts (short summaries of inventions) included with patent applications (instead of the patent applications themselves, as under current law) to be published 18 months after the earliest filing date of the application. Repeals certain requirements relating to: (1) submission of a redacted copy of an application; and (2) procedures to prevent protest and pre-issuance opposition to the grant of a patent.
Requires the Director of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to give priority to the examination of a patent application by an institution of higher education or a patent holding company affiliated with such an institution.
Legislation: H.R. 526, The ON TIME Act
Sponsor: Ken Calvert (R-CA-44)
Cosponsors: Jesse Jackson
CRS Summary: Our Nation's Trade, Infrastructure, Mobility, and Efficiency Act or ON TIME Act - Declares that it is the purpose of this Act to: (1) address major transportation investment needs in national trade gateway corridors, (2) reduce freight congestion along current and future trade corridors along surface transportation routes that are or will be congested as a result of current or future growth in international trade, and (3) develop corridors that will increase freight transportation system reliability.
Directs the Secretary of Transportation (DOT) to assess and collect through FY2022 a national trade gateway corridor fee on each article imported into, and exported from, the United States. Requires collected fees to be deposited in the National Trade Gateway Corridor Fund for projects in the transportation trade corridors for the Customs port of unloading of imported, or loading of exported, articles.
Sets forth requirements with respect to: (1) the allocation of Fund amounts in the form of grants to state departments of transportation to carry out eligible projects in the corridors for the Customs ports of entry, and (2) project selection and eligibility.
Requires the Secretary to establish a transportation trade corridor for each Customs port of entry where fees are collected.
Legislation: H.R. 545: The Freedom Trade Act
Sponsor: Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI-11)
Cosponsors: None
CRS Summary: Freedom Trade Act - Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to deny nondiscriminatory treatment (normal trade relations treatment) from the products of a foreign country that: (1) engages in violations of religious freedom, (2) restricts the freedom of workers to associate and to organize and bargain collectively, or (3) prohibits or limits the functioning of free and independent labor unions.
Legislation: H.R. 622, To extend the Andean Trade Preference Act, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Dave Camp (R-MI-5)
Cosponsors: None
CRS Summary: Amends the Andean Trade Preference Act (ATPA) to extend duty-free treatment or other preferential treatment of the products of Colombia and Ecuador through June 30, 2011.
Extends the President's authority to take bilateral emergency action to grant duty-free treatment of certain apparel articles imported from an ATPDEA beneficiary country.
Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to decrease the appropriation of funds for the community college and career training grant program for FY2014.
Legislation: H.R. 639, the Currency Reform for Fair Trade Act
Sponsor: Sander Levin (D-MI-12)
Cosponsors: Ackerman, Altmire, Andrews, Austria, Baca, Bass (CA), Becerra, Berkley, Bishop, Blumenauer, Boren, Boswell, Braley, Burton, Capito, Capuano, Carnahan, Carson, Cicilline, Clarke, Clay, Cleaver, Coble, Cohen, Connolly, Conyers, Costello, Courtney, Cravaack, Crawford, Critz, Cummings, Davis, DeFazio, DeLauro, Dent, Dingell, Donnelly, Doyle, Ellison, Engel, Farr, Filner, Fitzpatrick, Forbes, Frank, Fudge, Garamendi, Gerlach, Green, Griffith, Grijalva, Harper, Higgins, Hinchey, Holden, Holt, Hunter, Inslee, Jackson, Johnson (OH), Johnson (GA), Jones, Kaptur, Keating, Kildee, Kissell, Kucinich, Langevin, Larson, LaTourette, Lewis, Lipinski, LoBiondo, Loebsack, Leutkemeyer, Lynch, Maloney, Manzullo, Marino, Markey, McCollum, McCotter, McDermott, McGovern, McHenry, McIntyre, McKinley, Meehan, Michaud, Miller (NC), Miller (MI), Miller (CA), Moran, Murphy (CT), Murphy (PA)m Myrick, Nadler, Napolitano, Neal, Norton, Owens, Pallone, Pascrell, Peters, Petri, Pingree, Platts, Rahall, Rangel, Richardson, Rogers (KY), Rogers (AL), Rogers (MI), Rohrabacher, Ross (AR), Rothman, Roybal-Allard, Ruppersberger, Rush, Ryan, Sanchez, Sarbanes, Schakowsky, Schrader, Scott (VA), Scott (SC), Sensenbrenner, Sherman, Shuler, Shuster, Sires, Slaughter, Stark, Stutzman, Sutton, Thompson (MS), Thompson (PA), Thompson (CA), Tierney, Tonko, Towns, Tsongas, Turner, Visclosky, Walz, Welch, Westmoreland, Whitfield, Wilson, Wittman, Wolf, Woolsey, Yarmuth, Young
CRS Summary: Currency Reform for Fair Trade Act - Amends the Tariff Act of 1930 to include as a "countervailable subsidy" requiring action under a countervailing duty or antidumping duty proceeding the benefit conferred on merchandise imported into the United States from foreign countries with fundamentally undervalued currency.
Defines "benefit conferred," in cases where the currency of a foreign country is exchanged for foreign currency (i.e., U.S. dollars) obtained from export transactions, as the difference between: (1) the amount of currency provided by a foreign country in which the subject merchandise is produced; and (2) the amount of currency such country would have provided if the real effective exchange rate of its currency were not fundamentally undervalued.
Declares that the fact that such a subsidy is also provided in circumstances not involving export shall not, for that reason alone, mean it cannot be considered export contingent and actionable under a countervailing duty and antidumping duty proceeding.
Requires the administering authority to determine that the currency of a foreign country is fundamentally undervalued if for an 18-month period: (1) the government of the country engages in protracted, large-scale intervention in one or more foreign exchange markets; (2) the country's real effective exchange rate is undervalued by at least 5%; (3) the country has experienced significant and persistent global current account surpluses; and (4) the country's government has foreign asset reserves exceeding the amount necessary to repay all its debt obligations falling due within the coming 12 months, 20% percent of the country's money supply, and the value of the country's imports during the previous 4 months.
Requires the use, for calculating a country's "real effective exchange rate undervaluation," of certain guidelines of the Consultative Group on Exchange Rate Issues of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) or, if those guidelines are not available, generally accepted economic and econometric techniques and methodologies. Requires the use, also, of inflation-adjusted, trade-weighted exchange rates.
Applies the amendments made by this Act to goods from Canada and Mexico.
Legislation: H.R. 913, the Free and Fair Trade Act of 2011
Sponsor: Robert Aderholt (R-AL-4)
Cosponsors: Bonner, Chu, Coble, Duncan, Kissell, Napolitano, Visclosky
CRS Summary: ree and Fair Trade Act of 2011 - Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to extend duty-free treatment under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) through June 30, 2012.
Requires the liquidation or reliquidation (refund of duties) on such articles that entered into the United States after December 31, 2010, and before the 15th day after enactment of this Act.
Makes ineligible for such treatment certain imported sleeping bags.
Amends the Andean Trade Preference Act (ATPA) to extend duty-free treatment or other preferential treatment of the products of Colombia and Ecuador through June 30, 2012.
Extends through FY2012 preferential treatment for apparel articles assembled in one or more beneficiary countries from regional fabrics or regional components, and specified other type apparel (brassieres).
Requires the liquidation or reliquidation (refund of duties) on such articles that entered into the United States after February 12, 2011, and before the 15th day after enactment of this Act.
Extends the President's authority to take bilateral emergency action to grant duty-free treatment of certain apparel articles imported from an ATPDEA beneficiary country.
Rescinds $2.3 billion in appropriated discretionary unexpired federal funds.
Legislation: H.R. 1325, the AMERICA Works Act
Sponsor: Joe Donnelly (D-IN-2)
Cosponsors: Baca, Barrow, Boren, Cicilline, Costa, Holden, Matheson, Michaud, Platts, Ross (AR)
CRS Summary: American Manufacturing Efficiency and Retraining Investment Collaboration Achievement Works Act or AMERICA Works Act - Amends the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, with respect to statewide and local adult and youth workforce investment employment and training programs, to require a one-stop delivery system, in selecting and approving training services, or programs of training services, to give priority consideration to state- and local board-approved services and programs that lead to an industry-recognized and nationally portable credential that is in high demand in the local area served and listed in the skill credential registry created under this Act.
Amends the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act of 2006 and the Trade Act of 1974 to require the same priority consideration in the state and local plans for career and technical education programs as well as in tech prep programs and trade adjustment assistance (TAA) programs.
Requires that funds allocated for local area youth activities be used, in part, for training programs, giving priority consideration to those that lead to a registry-listed credential in high demand in the local area served.
Requires the Secretary of Labor to: (1) create a registry of skill credentials; and (2) list in the registry credentials that are required by federal or state law for an occupation, are from the Manufacturing Institute-Endorsed Manufacturing Skills Certification System, and are industry-recognized and nationally portable credentials consistent with established industry competency models as well as consistently updated through third party validation to reflect changing industry competencies.
Legislation: H.R. 1366, the National Manufacturing Strategy Act of 2011
Sponsor: Dan Lipinski (D-IL-3)
Cosponsors: Braley, Cicilline, Clarke (MI), Clarke (NY), Critz, Dingell, Duncan, Forbes, Fortenberry, Green, Johnson, Jones, Kinzinger, Kissell, Larson, LaTourette, Lunch, Manzullo, McKinley, Michaud, Murphy (CT), Nadler, Ryan, Schock, Shimkus, Sutton, Visclosky, Wolf
CRS Summary: National Manufacturing Strategy Act of 2011 - Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the U.S. government should promote policies related to the nation's manufacturing sector intended to promote growth, sustainability, and competitiveness, create well-paying jobs, enable innovation and investment, and support national security; and (2) the President and Congress should act promptly to pursue policies consistent with a National Manufacturing Strategy (Strategy).
Directs the President, every four years, to submit to Congress, and publish on a public website, a Strategy.
Directs the President to establish the President's Manufacturing Strategy Board to: (1) advise the President and Congress on issues affecting the nation's manufacturing sector; (2) conduct a comprehensive analysis of such sector; (3) develop a Strategy; and (4) report annually to the President and Congress on the current state of U.S. manufacturing.
Directs the Comptroller General, in each of 2013, 2017, and 2021, to submit to Congress an assessment and analysis of the Strategy.
Directs the President, in developing each Strategy, to enter into an agreement with the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) to conduct a study concerning U.S. manufacturing and related assessments and reviews. Requires the NAS to report each study's results to Congress and the President.
Requires the President, in preparing each annual budget, to include information regarding that budget's consistency with the goals and recommendations included in the latest Strategy.
Legislation: H.R. 1437, To amend the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States to make a technical correction relating to stainless steel single-piece exhaust gas manifolds.
Sponsor: Glen ‘GT’ Thompson (R-PA-5)
Cosponsors: None
CRS Summary: Amends the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States to revise the article description relating to certain imported stainless steel single-piece exhaust gas manifolds.
Requires the liquidation or reliquidation (refund of duties) of such articles entered into the United States: (1) on or after January 1, 2010, and before the 15th day after enactment of this Act; and (2) with respect to which there would have been no duty or a reduced duty if the amendment made by this Act applied to such articles. Requires amounts owed by the United States to be paid, without interest, to an importer not later than 90 days after the liquidation or reliquidation of an entry.
Legislation: H.R. 1463, To authorize the extension of nondiscriminatory treatment (normal trade relations treatment) to the products of Moldova.
Sponsor: Dave Reichert (R-WA-8)
Cosponsors: Burton, Hastings, Levin, McDermott
CRS Summary: Authorizes the President to extend nondiscriminatory treatment (normal trade relations treatment) to the products of Moldova.
Legislation: H.R. 1518, The Trade Priorities Act
Sponsor: Mark Critz, (D-PA-12)
Cosponsors: Linda Sanchez
CRS Summary: Trade Enforcement Priorities Act - Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to revise requirements for investigations by the United States Trade Representative (USTR) of priority foreign country practices which if eliminated will likely have the most significant potential to increase U.S. exports.
Urges the USTR, before initiating an investigation, to seek consultations with each foreign country identified as engaging in priority foreign country trade practices in order to reach a satisfactory resolution of such practices. Requires the USTR to initiate an investigation only if a satisfactory resolution has not been reached within 90 days after a report on the practices to the appropriate congressional committees.
Legislation: H.R. 1717, the Balancing Trade Act of 2011
Sponsor: Marcy Kaptur (D-OH-9)
Cosponsors: None
CRS Summary: Requires the President, if in three consecutive calendar years the United States has a trade deficit with another country of $10 billion or more, to take the necessary steps to create a trading relationship that would eliminate or substantially reduce that trade deficit by entering into an agreement with that country.
Legislation: H.R. 1887, the Free Trade with Cuba Act
Sponsor: Charles Rangel (D-NY-15)
Cosponsors: Clarke (NY), McCollum, Towns
Summary: Free Trade With Cuba Act - Amends the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 to repeal the embargo on trade with Cuba.
Prohibits the exercise by the President with respect to Cuba of certain authorities conferred by the Trading With the Enemy Act and exercised on July 1, 1977, as a result of a specified national emergency. Makes ineffective any prohibition on exports to Cuba under the Export Administration Act of 1979. Authorizes the President to impose export controls with respect to Cuba and exercise certain authorities under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act only on account of an unusual and extraordinary threat to U.S. national security that did not exist before enactment of this Act.
Repeals: (1) the Cuban Democracy Act of 1992; (2) the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity (LIBERTAD) Act of 1996; (3) the prohibition under the Food Security Act of 1985 against allocation of the annual sugar quota to any country unless its officials verify that it does not import for reexport to the United States any sugar produced in Cuba; and (4) the prohibition under the Department of Commerce and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 1999 on transactions or payments respecting certain U.S. intellectual property.
Amends the Trade Sanctions Reform and Export Enhancement Act of 2000 to remove Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism subject to agricultural and medical export restrictions.
Amends the Internal Revenue Code to terminate the denial of foreign tax credit with respect to Cuba.
Authorizes common carriers to install and repair telecommunications equipment and facilities in Cuba, and otherwise provide telecommunications services between the United States and Cuba.
Prohibits regulation or banning of travel to and from Cuba by U.S. citizens or residents, or of any transactions incident to travel.
Directs the U.S. Postal Service to provide direct mail service to and from Cuba.
Urges the President to take all necessary steps to conduct negotiations with the Government of Cuba to: (1) settle claims of U.S. nationals against Cuba for the taking of property, and (2) secure protection of internationally recognized human rights.
Legislation: H.R. 1912, Make It in America Block Grant Program Act of 2011
Sponsor: David Cicilline
Cosponsors: Carnahan, Carson, Clarke (MI), Conyers, Critz, Filner, Fudge, Garamendi, Grijalva, Hanabuse, Jackson Lee, Jackson, Keating, Kildee, Kucinich, Langevin, Lipinski, Murphy, Pallone, Peters, Pierluisi, Ryan, Sewell, Sires, Tonko, Wilson
CRS Summary: Make It in America Block Grant Program Act of 2011 - Directs the Secretary of Commerce to establish a Make It in America Block Grant Program under which the Secretary is authorized to make grants to eligible entities to support the U.S. manufacturing industry. Allows such grants to be used, with respect to small and medium-sized manufacturers, for: (1) retooling or retrofitting, (2) business plan diversification, (3) improving energy efficiency, (4) employee training and retraining, and (5) the provision of capital and technical expertise. Outlines provisions concerning eligible entities, the allocation of grant funds, and requirements for grant recipients, including the submission of a proposed manufacturing enhancement strategy.
Directs the Secretary to establish an advisory committee for advice in implementing and evaluating the program. Authorizes the Secretary to review and evaluate recipient performance under the program. Requires the Comptroller General to study the program, and report study results to Congress.
Expresses the sense of Congress that program amounts should supplement and not replace other funding provided by federal departments and agencies to support the manufacturing industry.
Legislation: H.R. 2072, Securing American Jobs Through Exports Act of 2011
Sponsor: Gary Miller (R-CA-42)
Cosponsors: Bachus, Biggert, Dold, Frank, Manzullo, McCarthy, Moore, Scott
CRS Summary: Securing American Jobs Through Exports Act of 2011 - Amends the Export-Import Bank Act of 1945 to extend the termination of functions date for the Export-Import Bank of the United States to September 30, 2015.
Sets forth FY2012-FY2014 limitations on outstanding loans, guarantees, and insurance.
Requires: (1) the Bank to establish financing guideleines, (2) the Comptroller General to perform biennial audits of bank transactions, and (3) the Bank to monitor default rates at least quarterly.
Authorizes the Bank to use a specifed amount of its surplus each fiscal year for information technology system updates.
Expresses the sense of Congress that the Bank should establish an independent mechanism to investigate and report on allegations by affected parties of the Bank's failure to follow its own policies and procedures.
Extends through September 30, 2015: (1) the termination date of the Sub-Saharan Africa advisory committee, and (2) Bank authority to provide financing for the export of nonlethal defense articles and defense services whose primary end use is for civilian purposes.
Legislation: H.RES.86: Recognizing the importance of trade to the United States economy and the importance of passing free trade agreements with Colombia, South Korea, and Panama.
Sponsor: Rodney Frelinghuysen
Cosponsors: Denham, Dent, Goodlatte, Poe
CRS Summary: Recognizes the importance of reduced trade barriers to the United States for promoting economic development, creating jobs, and solidifying relations with trading partners.
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the United States-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement, the United States-Panama Free Trade Agreement, and the United States-Korea Free Trade Agreement should be implemented immediately.
Legislation: H.Res.103: Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the United States should initiate negotiations to enter into a bilateral free trade agreement with Turkey.
Sponsor: James Sensenbrenner (R-WI-5)
Cosponsors: James Moran
CRS Summary: Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that the United States should initiate negotiations to enter into a bilateral free trade agreement with Turkey.
Legislation: H.Res.251: Urging the President to expedite the submission of the United States - Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement to Congress.
Sponsor: Aaron Schock
Cosponsors: Cuellar, Diaz-Ballart, Meeks
CRS Summary: Urges the President to expedite the submission of the United States-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement to Congress.
Legislation: H.Res.266, Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the President should, without any further delay, submit the United States-Korea Free Trade Agreement to Congress for its consideration and immediate approval under fast track procedures pursuant to the Bipartisan Trade Promotion Authority of 2002.
Sponsor: Mike Kelly (R-PA-3)
Cosponsors: Franks, Huelskamp
CRS Summary: Recognizes that the implementation of the United States-Korea Free Trade Agreement will create jobs in the United States, increase export opportunities for U.S. businesses and agricultural producers, and further develop cross-cultural business relationships between the United States and South Korea.
Expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that: (1) it is in the security, economic, and diplomatic interests of the United States to enhance relationships with South Korea by approving such trade agreement immediately; (2) the President should submit implementing legislation to Congress immediately; and (3) Congress should consider promptly and enact this implementing legislation under congressional "fast track" procedures.