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MARKUP: Ways and Means Announces Markup of Trade Legislation

April 18, 2016

What: Full Committee on Ways and Means Markup

Where: 1100 Longworth House Office Building

When: Wednesday, April 20, at 10:00 AM ET

Live stream available here.

The Committee will consider the following:

H.R. 4923, American Manufacturing Competitiveness Act of 2016
Sponsored by House Ways and Means Chairman Kevin Brady (R-TX), Ranking Member Sander Levin (D-MI), Trade Subcommittee Chairman Dave Reichert (R-WA), Trade Subcommittee Ranking Member Charles B. Rangel (D-NY), and 15 additional members of Congress

  • This bipartisan bill creates an open and transparent process for the House to consider manufacturing tax cuts through the Miscellaneous Tariff Bill (MTB). The new process will help American manufacturers compete in the global market while also upholding the House earmark rules.

 

Background on the 3-Step MTB Process:

First, the new process would begin exclusively through petitions made by local U.S. businesses to the independent, non-partisan International Trade Commission (ITC). After the ITC receives petitions from the business community, an independent panel would receive comments from the public and the Administration and conduct its analysis.

Second, the ITC would issue a public report to Congress with its analysis and recommendations regarding products that meet the MTB standards, including that there is no domestic production.

Third, the Ways and Means Committee would examine the ITC’s recommendations and draft a MTB proposal. While the Committee can exclude products from its final proposal, it cannot add products that were not recommended by the ITC. As required by House rules, Ways and Means would certify that there are no spending earmarks and would publish a list of any Limited Tariff Benefits (LTB).  Congress would then consider the MTB within existing rules.

For more details on the new MTB process, click here.