House Foreign Affairs Committee ranking member Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., said Dec. 4 that he is seeking several changes to a Russia sanctions and tariffs bill that lawmakers are trying to get through Congress this month.
Thirty House Democrats joined the sponsor who introduced a bill last month to refund reciprocal tariffs paid by small businesses. Rep. Chris Pappas, D-N.H., publicized the bill Dec. 1. There is a Senate companion bill.
Three House members introduced a bill called the No Gratuitous Overcharging Ubiquitous Global Exports (No GOUGE) Act, which would punish large companies that set prices higher than the costs directly generated by the tariff (though it also allows additional costs for higher wages). "This applies to final goods, goods assembled in the United States, and to components, and to both imposed and planned tariffs. A baseline price determination period of the average price of a good in the preceding 180 days is established for determining an unreasonably high price," a summary of the bill said.
The lead sponsor in the House on a Russia sanctions and secondary sanctions bill said that negotiations are still ongoing between the two chambers on the final language of the bill.
Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., asked the U.S. attorney general and Homeland Security Investigations "to prioritize Shein and Temu facilities for immediate inspections, seizures, and criminal investigations" over their counterfeits and intellectual property theft.
A bill to create a new schedule of drugs, to expand what is covered by import controls, was reintroduced last week by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, and Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H.
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., said Nov. 21 that he plans to file a discharge petition to force a House vote on a bill to impose additional sanctions on Russia and new tariffs on countries that buy its oil and gas.
Rep. Jill Tokuda, D-Hawaii, introduced a bill that would eliminate reciprocal tariffs on 40 countries, including Vietnam, Japan, South Korea, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Taiwan, Australia, Cambodia, Malaysia, Bangladesh, New Zealand, Thailand and others in Asia.
Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., introduced a bill called the No Tariffs on Groceries Act, which would require the assent of Congress before tariff hikes on food or agricultural products.
Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., continues to emphasize the importance of a long-term preference program for both sub-Saharan Africa and Haiti, but, in responses to questions for the record, deputy U.S. trade representative nominee Jeffrey Goettman said the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative supports a one-year renewal for both.