House Set to Vote on Miscellaneous Tariff Bill

The House of Representatives is scheduled to consider the Miscellaneous Tariff Bill Act (H.R. 4318) on Jan. 16, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., said on the daily schedule. The bill is set to get expedited treatment as non-controversial legislation "under suspension of the rules," it said. The MTB legislation was introduced in the Senate and House in November (see 1711090039). Companies (see 1712070027) and lawmakers (see 1801120016) recently began a push for quick consideration of the MTB. The last MTB expired in 2012.

Industry groups were pleased with the development. The National Association of Manufacturers said in a letter to lawmakers it considers the MTB to be a "key vote" that will help to temporarily correct distortions in the U.S. tariff code. "Since 2012, businesses have paid billions of dollars of tariffs on products not even made in the United States, to the detriment of good-paying American jobs and American competitiveness," it said. "The Miscellaneous Tariff Bill of 2017 will correct this problem and improve the competitiveness of manufacturers across America, particularly small- and medium-sized manufacturers."

The American Chemistry Council "urges House leaders today to take swift action on the passage of tariff suspension legislation that will strengthen the competitiveness of chemical manufacturers across the country,” it said in a news release. “Our industry also depends on some imports of raw and intermediate products that are not produced or available domestically, but which are needed to fortify chemical innovations. Since the last MTB expired in 2012, chemical companies have been burdened by import duties on these materials."

The National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America said in an email to members that it hopes an MTB and Generalized System of Preferences renewal legislation are included as part of a continuing resolution to keep the government funded beyond Jan. 19. "The trade community is closely watching the unfolding FY 2018 spending talks, since a compromise spending package may offer a vehicle for both GSP renewal and passage of" an MTB, it said. "Lawmakers now acknowledge they will need to extend the CR once again -- perhaps until mid-February or early March. Once an agreement is reached, however, trade leaders in Congress hope to quietly add GSP renewal and the MTB to the must-pass spending package."