On June 8, 2010, Senators Brown (D) and Schumer (D) urged the Commerce Department to move forward with an investigation of China’s currency manipulation and its effect on the U.S. paper industry. In a letter, the Senators called for the Department to make a final ruling on whether or not it would investigate whether China’s currency policy provides an unfair subsidy for Chinese paper products that should be remedied through trade measures.
On June 10, 2010, Representatives Weiner (D) and Chaffetz (R) called for an end to the mohair subsidy. (Mohair, which is fleece from the Angora goat, has been subsidized since World War II.)
On June 10, 2010, the following trade-related bills were introduced:
On June 9, 2010, the Senate continued its consideration of amendments to the House-passed H.R. 4213, the American Jobs and Closing Tax Loopholes Act (the Tax Extenders or Jobs bill). On June 10, 2010, the Senate is expected to continue its consideration of pending amendments to H.R. 4213.
The House Ways and Means has announced a hearing on the direction of China’s trade and industrial policies on June 16, 2010. The hearing will examine overall trends in China’s trade and industrial policies, as well as several specific examples of how China appears to be embracing mercantilism and “national champions” over a market-based model of economic development.
On June 9. 2010, the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee ordered favorably reported the following:
On May 27, 2010, the House Ways and Means Oversight Subcommittee held a hearing on tobacco smuggling, and the recommendations made by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau to enhance the traceability of tobacco products. TTB discussed its new $3M in funding to hire and train special agents, its efforts to prevent diversion to avoid the 150% excise tax, and the recommendation to work with FDA on a "track and trace" system authorized by the recently enacted Family Smoking Prevention Act.
On June 9, 2010, the following trade-related bills were introduced:
On June 9, 2010, Senator Schumer (D) called on the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to crack down on “honey launderers” that are undermining New York’s honey producers. Schumer demands that immediate steps be taken to crack down on illegal Chinese honey that has been shipped through other countries, mislabeled, etc. to circumvent antidumping duties.
After her brief statement, Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee members encouraged Elisabeth Hagen, nominee to head the Food, Safety, and Inspection Service, to target the agency's new inspection authority (once OMB approves the pending rulemaking to implement it) toward imported catfish. Members also encouraged her to beef up inspections at the border to prevent the entry of smuggled food. The hearing was held on May 27, 2010.