Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., the ranking member of the House Select Committee on China, is asking Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to tell him whether allied governments were consulted before the White House announced that chip exports from Nexperia's China factory would resume, suggesting that the EU was caught flat-footed at the development. Nexperia makes semiconductors used in automobiles.
Arkansas’ six-member congressional delegation urged U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer on Nov. 6 to delay implementation of the new U.S.-EU trade deal (see 2507280027 and 2508210017) until the EU revises its deforestation reporting requirements. In a letter to Greer, the lawmakers reiterated their view that the regulation would harm American timber exports (see 2503170052). Greer’s office didn't respond to a request for comment.
The Senate passed a motion allowing Congress to move toward ending the government shutdown, though several potential roadblocks remain. Seven Democratic senators (and one independent who caucuses with the Democratic party) joined Republicans late Sunday night to back a measure that would end the government shutdown.
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, blocked a vote on a bill that would end tariffs on imported coffee.
Sens. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., and Susan Collins, R-Maine, introduced a bill to create an interagency working group to monitor imports of seasonal and perishable fruits and vegetables.
Bipartisan bills were introduced in both chambers of Congress to grant permanent normal trade relations to Central Asian countries covered by the Jackson-Vanik Act, a law that removes permanent normal trade relations for certain countries. The bill was introduced one day before presidents of the Central Asian countries visited the White House Nov. 6.
Reps. Ryan Zinke, R-Mont., and Harriet Hageman, R-Wyo., introduced a bill this week to require country of origin labeling (COOL) for beef, so that cattle must be both raised and processed in the U.S. to be labeled "Product of USA."
Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., asked the FDA when illegal nicotine vaping devices will disappear from U.S. store shelves, and what additional authorities they need to curb the distribution of these products.
Several Democratic senators talked about their legislative efforts to rein in President Donald Trump's sweeping tariff hikes the same day that the Supreme Court grappled with the question of whether Congress gave away too much of its power to the president to set tariffs.
More than 100 House Democrats asked the U.S. trade representative to make significant changes to USMCA as part of its six-year review, arguing that imports from Mexico and Canada are undermining U.S. autoworkers, steelworkers, aerospace workers and farmers.