Sens. John Kennedy, R-La., Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., and Katie Britt, R-Ala., claimed victory after the Commerce Department announced it isn't reducing antidumping duties on Vietnamese catfish from $2.39/kg to $0.14/kg (see 2403130061). They and other Southern Republicans had decried the preliminary decision earlier this year (see 2401220029). They said that reduction in duties ignored more than 20 years of precedent in the case, and would "also set a troubling precedent for the approximately 250 [non-market economy] proceedings involving communist governments before the Commerce Department."
The House Energy and Commerce Committee is scheduled to mark up a bill on March 20 that would direct the Commerce Department's National Telecommunications and Information Administration to undertake a study on whether routers and modems designed, developed, manufactured, or supplied by Chinese firms, or firms from other adversary countries, are a risk to national security.
The White House told the Senate that it strongly opposes an effort to undo the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service's finding that fresh beef imports from Paraguay are safe.
CBP issued the following releases on commercial trade and related matters:
A listing of recent Commerce Department antidumping and countervailing duty messages posted on CBP's website March 18, along with the case number(s) and CBP message number, is provided below. The messages are available by searching for the listed CBP message number at CBP's ADCVD Search page.
New USDA Agricultural Marketing Service National Organic Program requirements are mandatory starting on March 19, CBP said in a CSMS message on March 19. The message reminded the trade public of the USDA Strengthening Organic Enforcement final rule on January 2023 that required electronic National Organic Program import certificates for organic agricultural products (see 2301180051).
International Trade Today is providing readers with the top stories from last week in case they were missed. All articles can be found by searching on the titles or by clicking on the hyperlinked reference number.
The American Apparel and Footwear Association's vice president for trade and customs policy is hearing that a higher competitive needs limitation will be part of a Generalized System of Preferences benefits program renewal.
The American Apparel and Footwear Association, in addition to expressing hope that the U.S. government will support measures to end the gang violence convulsing Haiti, asked the leaders of the House and Senate to renew trade preferences programs scheduled to expire at the end of September 2025.
The Federal Maritime Commission approved a settlement between Rahal International and Hapag-Lloyd and dismissed the complaint between both parties. The settlement, approved on March 15, comes after Rahal accused Hapag-Lloyd in June of failing to establish adequate facilities to return empty containers to the Port of New York and New Jersey and unfairly charging detention and demurrage (see 2307050034).