May 25 Daily Update on Capitol Hill Trade Actions
"Daily Update on Capitol Hill Trade Actions" is a daily International Trade Today compilation of the most relevant legislation, hearings, and actions by Congress involving international trade. The following are brief summaries of recent Capitol Hill actions:
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Export Compliance Daily combines U.S. export control news, foreign border import regulation and policy developments into a single daily information service that reliably informs its trade professional readers about important current issues affecting their operations.
Senator Applauds White House Line-Item Veto Proposal
Senator Kerry (D) applauded President Obama’s proposal to reduce unnecessary spending by asking Congress to enact a modified line-item veto that will pass constitutional muster. Information on the President's legislative proposal, the Reduce Unnecessary Spending Act of 2010'', along with a section-by-section analysis, is in the May 24, 2010 Congressional Record, available here.
Senator Says Salmonella Outbreak Argues for Food Safety Reform
On May 24, 2010, Senator Harkin (D), Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, urged the Senate to take up food safety reform legislation, after raw alfalfa sprouts sold to such stores as Trader Joe's and Wal-Mart by Caldwell Fresh Foods of Maywood, CA. had been linked to a Salmonella outbreak in ten states.
4 Senators Introduce “Supply Chain” Energy Star Bill
A bipartisan group of four Senators, Bingaman (D), Brown (R), Lincoln (D) and Pryor (D), have introduced S. 3396, the Supply Star Act of 2010, in order to build on the Department of Energy’s Energy Star program and provide companies with financing, technical support, training and sector-wide networks to help improve their supply chain efficiency and provide public recognition to businesses which achieve the greatest efficiency improvements, rewarding them with a marketing tool that will help consumers make informed purchasing decisions.
Trade-Related Bill Introduced on May 24, 2010
On May 24, 2010, the following trade-related bills were introduced:
| Drop-side Cribs | S. 3400. A bill to ban the sale, manufacture, distribution, and use in public facilities of drop-side cribs in the United States, and for other purposes |
| Supply Chain Energy Supply Star Program | S. 3396. A bill to amend the Energy Policy and Conservation Act to establish within the Department of Energy a Supply Star program to identify and promote practices, companies, and products that use highly efficient supply chains in a manner that conserves energy, water, and other resources |
| Solar Energy Property | H.R. 5372. A bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to treat any business credit attributable to wind, solar, or biomass electricity production and investment in solar energy property as refundable to the extent the taxpayer makes new wind, solar, and other renewable energy investments |
| Controlled Substances | S. 3397. A bill to amend the Controlled Substances Act to provide for take-back disposal of controlled substances in certain instances, and for other purposes |
Any “Capitol Hill Trade Action” warranting more in-depth coverage will be summarized individually in a future issue of International Trade Today.