The Indonesian government sent Economy Minister Airlangga Hartarto to Washington, where he is expected to meet with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer before Christmas, in the hopes of finishing a trade deal before the New Year.
The top Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, criticized U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer for the U.S.'s communique declaring that the era of most-favored nation tariff rates is over (see 2512160045). In a letter sent last week, Wyden said, "MFN has been integral to U.S. trade policy and a core principle of the international trading system for nearly 80 years, and it ensures that U.S. goods and services can compete on a level playing field in international markets without being targeted with unfair tariffs or regulations."
White House Chief Economic Adviser Kevin Hassett said that refunding tariffs paid by importers "would be very complicated." He said that those importers of record would then have to allocate that money to retailers.
The U.S. and Canada nearly reached a trade agreement before the airing of an anti-tariff advertisement drew the ire of President Donald Trump, according to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in a Dec. 18 interview.
House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Western Hemisphere Chairwoman Maria Elena Salazar, R-Fla., asked a State Department official to press Mexico to stop accepting Cuban doctors' services, which she says is human trafficking. Salazar held a hearing on Mexico's relationship with its neighbors this week in the subcommittee.
A bill to impose a carbon border adjustment was reintroduced in the House and Senate this week. The Clean Competition Act is sponsored by Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse D-R.I., ranking member of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, and Rep. Suzan DelBene, D-Wash., a senior member of the Ways and Means Committee.
A bill to allow goods headed for export to Mexico and Canada to avoid tariffs on imported components was introduced this week by five House Republicans and one Democrat.
A California customs broker was sentenced on Dec. 18 to 51 months in prison for defrauding importers, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Central District of California announced. Frank Seung Noah owned and operated customs brokerage Comis International and also was ordered to pay $7,579,141 in restitution.
CBP has released its Dec. 17 Customs Bulletin (Vol. 59, No. 47), which includes the following ruling action:
In the Dec. 17 Customs Bulletin (Vol. 59, No. 47), CBP published proposals to revoke ruling letters and revoke treatment relating to the tariff classification of glass cold brew coffee makers and teapots with stainless steel filters or infusers.