Senate Subcommittee Approves Funding Boosts for International Trade Administration, USTR, Etc.

A U.S. Senate Appropriations Commerce, Justice and Related Agencies Subcommittee approved April 17, 2012, a 2013 appropriations bill to give the International Trade Administration $496 million, $31 million more than the fiscal year 2012, to help U.S. farmers, manufacturers, and service providers sell their products overseas, the subcommittee said. The FY13 Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations Bill also provides funding for the new Interagency Trade Enforcement Center (ITEC) to aggressively tackle unfair trade practices hurting American businesses. The bill would give International Trade Commission $82.8 million for 2013, a $2.8 million increase. The bill also provides $53 million for the office of the U.S. Trade Representatives, up $1.8 million from the 2012 level. The legislation totals $51.862 billion in proposed discretionary budget authority, a reduction of $1 billion below the fiscal year 2012 enacted level, the subcommittee said.