Levin Statement at Customs Conference Meeting
WASHINGTON, DC – Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Sander Levin (D-MI) today delivered the following remarks at a meeting of the conference committee for the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015 (H.R. 644).
(Remarks as prepared)
"This bill passed the Senate over the summer with broad, bipartisan support (78-20) – and for good reason.
"Among other things, the bill allowed for the application of countervailing duties to address currency manipulation. That ‘currency CVD' legislation is very similar to legislation that passed the House several years ago by a vote of 348 to 79.
"The Senate bill included other important enforcement provisions and a process to finally move forward with the Miscellaneous Tariff Bill. But the currency CVD provision is by far the most important of these provisions.
"On the other hand, the House version of the customs bill included very troubling changes to the negotiating objectives in TPA – on core issues like climate change, human trafficking, and immigration. And the House version of the bill did not include the currency CVD provision or other enforcement provisions included in the Senate bill.
"I strongly support the Senate bill and strongly oppose the House bill. I urge my colleagues to avoid using this vehicle to amend TPA in ways that will make it harder for us to address some of the most important trade-related problems of our time, including climate change and human trafficking.
"I am not optimistic that this committee will produce a product I can support. I expect the currency CVD provision will be excluded. And while the climate change and human trafficking language may be modestly improved, I do not expect the modifications will be significant enough to change my position.
"Specifically, I am concerned that the climate change language could be interpreted to prevent a multilateral agreement on climate change from being incorporated into the text of our trade agreements – which is inconsistent with the spirit of the May 10th Agreement.
"It also may prevent us from negotiating provisions like common fuel efficiency standards – a very real possibility in our ongoing negotiations with Europe right now.
"The human trafficking language would allow for a trade agreement with a Tier 3 country to be fast-tracked so long as that country "has taken concrete actions" to implement the "principal" recommendations for changes, no matter how egregious the conditions still in place.
"And while the conference report will likely include several provisions intended to strengthen the enforcement of U.S. trade agreements, those provisions are being oversold. For example, the bill includes a "Super 301" mechanism to prioritize enforcement issues, but the Administration could have done that on its own initiative, just as the Clinton Administration did. And the reporting language on currency issues will do nothing to move the needle on this key issue.
"All of this is disappointing because there are positive aspects of this bill, such as Ms. Sanchez's ENFORCE Act.
"The bill also closes a loophole to more effectively ban the importation of goods made with forced or child labor.
"We have been working on a customs bill for many years, and it is unfortunate to see that TPA amendments will now overshadow that work.
"It is not too late to steer a better course. I urge the conferees to slow down, work with us, and get this right."
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