House and Senate Committees Remain Committed to Ongoing MTB Process

The House Ways and Means and Senate Finance Committees will continue work to finish the miscellaneous tariff bill despite recent controversy over the process and legislation that would make major changes to the process. House Ways and Means Chairman Dave Camp (R-Mich.) has said he would work to pass the MTB before the end of the year to prevent the expiration of duty suspensions.

(Sens. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) introduced Temporary Duty Suspension Process Act June 13 meant to improve the miscellaneous tariff bill (MTB) process and work around conservative objections to the MTB. The lawmakers said a new process, in which duty suspensions requests would be sent directly to the International Trade Commission, is needed to limit the role of lobbyists in the process.)

Process 'Not Broken'

The House Ways and Means Committee discounted the suggestion that the current process doesn't have broad backing within Congress. “The current MTB process already has strong support among conservatives, 65 House GOP freshmen, and broad bipartisan support in the House and Senate," said a spokeswoman. "Chairman Camp is committed to ensuring that our nation’s job creators are not hit with tax increases at the end of the year."

The Senate Finance committee also plans to finish its work on the bill. A Senate Finance committee aide was dismissive of the attempts to make major changes to the process. "The MTB process is as transparent as they get," said the staffer. "It’s not broken, so there’s nothing to fix." The committees are in the process of gathering comment now, with public comments due June 22. Comments won't be available for review until all are collected.

(The MTB, typically passed by every congress to suspend tariffs on certain products, has faced recent objections, especially from Tea Party favorite Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), over whether MTB violates a congressional ban on earmarks. DeMint voiced support for the Portman-McCaskill bill June 13.)

(See ITT's Online Archives 12061429 to a summary of the Portman-McCaskill bill. Also see ITT's Online Archives 12042026 for summary of a letter of support from 65 GOP freshman members voicing support for the MTB. )