Last week, Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp (R-MI), along with Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) and Ranking Member Orrin Hatch (R-UT), introduced the Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities Act of 2014 to renew trade promotion authority (TPA).  Trade issues are generally viewed as economic issues – not partisan issues.  For example, recent trade… Read more

Today, a bipartisan group of Governors sent a letter to President Obama and House and Senate Leaders expressing their support for permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) with Russia. Tomorrow, the Ways and Means Committee will markup legislation to establish PNTR with Russia. In the letter, the Governors stated: “From our perspective as Governors, we see the potential for each of our… Read more

Seventy-three House Republican freshmen wrote to President Obama expressing their commitment to work with him to grant Russia permanent normal trade relations so that the United States can expand export opportunities and job growth.  Next month, Russia will join the World Trade Organization (WTO), and the United States must act quickly to take advantage of economic opportunities… Read more

Today, the Ways and Means Committee posted nearly 1,100 comments received from the public on the Miscellaneous Tariff Bills.  In a completely open and transparent manner, over 1,250 bills, their disclosure forms, and summaries were posted on the Ways and Means Committee website on May 24 for public comment.  This public review assists the Committee in determining whether any… Read more

Today, the Ways and Means Committee will hold a hearing on Russia’s accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) and granting Russia permanent normal trade relations (PNTR).  Russia will join the WTO later this summer, and as a result will be required to open up its market and comply with the WTO’s rules.  However, the United States will not receive any of these benefits… Read more

American Apparel & Footwear Association Two years ago we had the privilege to sit in the White House while President Obama signed into law the United States Manufacturing Enhancement Act of 2010.  That important legislation temporarily eliminated or reduced import tariffs on a range of products that are no longer made in the United States.  That legislation carried on… Read more

Those of us who view import tariffs as distortive taxes on consumption and production tend to find merit in any effort to reduce them. That’s why Senator Jim DeMint’s opposition to the perennial import duty suspension process known as the Miscellaneous Tariff Bill (MTB) seems a bit misplaced. DeMint has – according to Cato’s Congressional Trade Votes database – a glowing record of… Read more

The article “Freshman: Bring back earmarks” (POLITICO, April 23) inaccurately characterizes the miscellaneous tariff bill process and its classification as an earmark. The MTB is actually a bipartisan jobs bill that will prevent a tax increase on manufacturers in the U.S. and help us compete with our global… Read more

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, 65 Republican freshmen members of the U.S. House of Representatives, led by Cong. Tom Reed (R-NY), sent a letter to House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) and Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) supporting the Miscellaneous Tariff Bill (MTB) process initiated by the Committee on Ways and Means.  A copy of the freshman letter can be found at… Read more

Yesterday, Americans for Tax Reform (ATR) sent a letter to Congress voicing support for the bipartisan Miscellaneous Tariff Bill (MTB) process initiated by trade leaders in the Ways and Means and Senate Finance Committees.  Specifically ATR noted that "By reducing or eliminating duties on imports, the MTB lowers input costs for domestic manufactures.  This increases the… Read more