Every Democrat on the House Ways and Means Committee told U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer that while they want changes to USMCA as part of the six-year review of the pact, he should make clear that the U.S. plans to keep the trilateral free trade agreement, and that he is committed to "a durable, mutually beneficial relationship with our partners that ensures the gains from trade are shared broadly both within and across our North American markets."
The International Trade Commission found that quartz surface products are being imported in "such increased quantities" as to cause substantial harm to domestic manufacturers, the commission said in an April 1 press release about its Section 201 safeguard investigation on such products.
The Chinese Ministry of Commerce warned Washington it will take all measures it considers necessary to defend its interests if a U.S. investigation into the 2020 phase one trade deal leads to new tariffs.
A bipartisan bill was introduced in the House to prohibit the president from imposing or increasing tariffs, and from reducing quotas or tariff-rate quotas, on goods imported from NATO allies. NATO includes Canada, the countries in the EU (except Ireland and Austria), the U.K., Norway, Albania, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Turkey.
Rep. Max Miller, R-Ohio, has introduced a bill that would reduce or waive tariffs on some imports for manufacturers who qualify for new general import licenses.
The International Trade Commission is set to make its final injury determination by April 1 in a recently initiated Section 201 safeguard investigation on quartz surface products. The commission will then submit its recommendations to the president by May 18, it said in a notice published Dec. 1.
The chief negotiator for the European Union, Maros Sefcovic, said that while the EU has a reputation for having "very complicated rules and regulations," that doesn't compare to the burden on companies trying to quantify how much steel (and its cost at the time it was sourced) went into making a Bosch refrigerator, Miele dishwasher or a BMW motorcycle.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit on Sept. 25 upheld the lists 3 and 4A Section 301 tariffs on China, finding them to be a valid exercise of authority under Section 307(a)(1)(C). CAFC Judges Todd Hughes and Alan Lourie, along with Eastern District of Texas Judge Rodney Gilstrap, sitting by designation, held that the statute's permission to "modify" Section 301 action where it's "no longer appropriate," allows the U.S. trade representative to ramp up the tariffs if the original action is "insufficient" to achieve its "stated purpose."
Three domestic manufacturers filed a petition Sept. 15 asking the International Trade Commission to conduct a Section 201 safeguard investigation on imports of quartz surface products.
Reps. Celeste Maloy and Burgess Owens, two Republicans from Utah, asked the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative this week to open a safeguard investigation on imports of lamb and mutton. They said Utah sheep ranchers will be submitting a new Section 201 petition to the International Trade Commission.