International Trade Today is providing readers with some of the top stories for May 7-11 in case they were missed.

A wide range of industries asked to be spared -- or protected -- in the first day of the International Trade Commission's public hearing that will hear from more than 120 companies, a major union, and trade groups, including those from China. The panel is tasked with refining the list of products subject to 25 percent tariffs, which accounted for $50 billion in imports last year. The size of the action was shaped by an estimate of the cost to U.S. companies of forced tech transfer, market access restrictions and intellectual property theft.

Healthcare trade associations and companies will testify on May 17 about the effects of a proposed new 25 percent tariff on a wide range of imports of China goods, according to a schedule posted by the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. The proposed list of tariff subheadings targets pharmaceuticals, medical devices and optical equipment, among other products. Hearings began on May 15 at the International Trade Commission.

The combination of World Trade Organization rules for Most Favored Nation treatment and bound tariff rates leave the U.S. at a disadvantage within trade negotiations, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said during a May 14 speech at the National Press Club. "We are now constrained by two sides of a WTO pincer," he said. The MFN, which requires level tariff rates for countries the U.S. doesn't have free trade agreements with, and bound tariff rates, the ceiling on allowed tariff levels, "prevent us from having reciprocal tariffs because, in most cases, our bound rate ceiling is at or near our very low MFN applied rate, while other nations have higher levels of both." President Donald Trump has mentioned the possibility of implementing a "reciprocal tax."

The combination of World Trade Organization rules for Most Favored Nation treatment and bound tariff rates leave the U.S. at a disadvantage within trade negotiations, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said during a May 14 speech at the National Press Club. "We are now constrained by two sides of a WTO pincer," he said. The MFN, which requires level tariff rates for countries the U.S. doesn't have free trade agreements with, and Bound Tariff Rates, the ceiling on allowed tariff levels, "prevent us from having reciprocal tariffs because, in most cases, our bound rate ceiling is at or near our very low MFN applied rate, while other nations have higher levels of both." President Donald Trump has mentioned the possibility of implementing a "reciprocal tax" (see 1802120034).

Two pro-trade Democrats, a Freedom Caucus member and a retiring moderate Republican have banded together to introduce a bill meant to curtail executive power on trade proceedings. The bill would create a process similar to the Congressional Review Act, which allows Congress to nullify recently completed rulemakings, for trade measures. "It’s time that Congress steps up to the plate, and uses the powers granted by our Constitution to collaboratively shape U.S. trade policy,” lead sponsor Rep. Ron Kind, D-Wis., said in a statement announcing the bill's introduction May 10.

Two pro-trade Democrats, a Freedom Caucus member and a retiring moderate Republican have banded together to introduce a bill meant to curtail executive power on trade proceedings. The bill would create a process similar to the Congressional Review Act, which allows Congress to nullify recently completed rulemakings, for trade measures. "It’s time that Congress steps up to the plate, and uses the powers granted by our Constitution to collaboratively shape U.S. trade policy,” lead sponsor Rep. Ron Kind, D-Wis., said in a statement announcing the bill's introduction May 10.

U.S. companies are “market leaders” in development and sale of smart thermostats, and would be the hardest hit if the Trump administration imposes 25 percent tariffs on Chinese imports, the Advanced Energy Management Alliance said in comments posted May 10. The alliance, whose members include green energy services providers, but also Nest, Tesla and Walmart, wants the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative to remove automatic thermostats in HTS subheading 9032.10.00 from its list of products targeted for the tariffs, it said. Chinese companies “do not have a meaningful presence in the U.S. market” for smart thermostats, it said. “Therefore, if USTR were to impose duties on smart thermostats, the impact of the duties would fall primarily on U.S. companies. In addition to the harm this would cause to the U.S. companies and their American workers, the additional duties would increase prices for the millions of U.S. families who rely on smart thermostats to control their energy costs and [would] discourage their use.”

Echoing U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said that if a deal isn't reached in the next few weeks, NAFTA 2.0 won't be finished in 2018 -- but unlike the lead negotiator, Ross suggested there may be no revised agreement (see 1805010074). "If we don’t see progress soon, probably we won’t see it for quite a little while toward the end of the year, if at all," he said May 8 at an international conference.

Echoing U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said that if a deal isn't reached in the next few weeks, NAFTA 2.0 won't be finished in 2018 -- but unlike the lead negotiator, Ross suggested there may be no revised agreement (see 1805010042). "If we don’t see progress soon, probably we won’t see it for quite a little while toward the end of the year, if at all," he said May 8 at an international conference.