The U.S. ambassador to the World Trade Organization published a blunt response to reform discussions, arguing that the underpinning of the WTO -- that all countries should receive the same tariff rate, unless there is a comprehensive free-trade agreement between them -- was naive, "and that era has passed."
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., the man in charge of setting the calendar of floor votes, did not directly answer a question on whether the Haiti trade preference bill and the African Growth and Opportunity Act will get a vote in January, but indicated they're on his radar.
Three House Democrats introduced a resolution last week to revoke the emergency declaration that added 25% tariffs to Indian goods. That 25% tariff is because Indian firms have been buying Russian oil, and is on top of most-favored nation duties and 25% reciprocal tariffs.
Steve Verheul, Canada's chief trade negotiator during President Donald Trump's first term, who worked on NAFTA's replacement, says Canada wants a trade pact that has known rules, and whose stability allows companies to make long-term plans.
The House Select Committee on China agreed that the Bureau of Industry and Security's connected vehicle rule, which was issued at the end of the Biden administration but starts to bite in mid-March, should be codified.
U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said he expects the U.S. will announce more trade deals, and release text about previously announced framework deals "in the coming weeks."
The House Ways and Means Committee passed a bill that would give CBP more leeway to share information about suspected counterfeit goods with private companies. The bill would allow CBP to use a "reasonable suspicion" standard to provide nonpublic information about the merchandise generated by an online marketplace, an express consignment operator, a freight forwarder or "any other entity that plays a role in the sale or importation of merchandise into the United States or the facilitation of such sale or importation."
The House Ways and Means Committee voted 37-3 to recommend a renewal of the African Growth and Opportunity Act through the end of 2028, with retroactive benefits since the program expired Sept. 30 (see 2512090051). Requests for liquidation or reliquidation would have to be filed within 180 days of enactment of the law, and CBP would have to pay within 90 days. No interest would be offered on the tariff refunds.
Steel interests, steelworkers and aluminum interests mostly said that 50% tariffs on steel and aluminum should remain for Canadian and Mexican exports even after upcoming USMCA review, with exceptions among some aluminum witnesses and the Mexican steel industry.
Auto industry representatives asked the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative to let the USMCA autos rule of origin continue -- or to simplify it -- while the United Autoworkers called for "complete rewrite" of the pact next year, including wage floors in all three countries in auto and parts plants and "explicit job security provisions for American workers."