CSUSTL Applauds Congress for Passage of Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act

WASHINGTON, Feb. 11, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Committee to Support U.S. Trade Laws (CSUSTL) applauds the Congressional passage of H.R. 644, the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act. 

Improved enforcement of trade remedies through increased ability to go after those who have not paid the proper level of duties or who have incorrectly entered merchandise avoiding antidumping or countervailing duties owed has been a long term objective of CSUSTL.  "For the companies and workers who depend on effective enforcement of trade remedies, passage of H.R. 644 is an important step forward," said Terence P. Stewart, President of CSUSTL.  "We thank the bipartisan efforts in Congress to bring this bill forward and the efforts of Congressional leaders and staff in this long journey.  For those who have sought conditions of fair trade for their industry but found the relief provided incomplete because of evasion problems, today's legislation when signed into law by the President will permit the ability to reduce the evasion problems going forward."

Tamara Browne, one of the Co-Chairs of the CSUSTL Government Affairs Committee, noted the frustration that many domestic users of trade remedies have felt when foreign producers or their importers have evaded the duties owed through misclassification, undervaluation, transshipment and other practices.  "For all of us who have seen the positive effect that enforcement of our trade remedy laws can have on domestic producers and their workers, it is critical that evasion practices be found out and addressed.  This new law will make the effort to crackdown on those who would evade the law more effective and preserve jobs in America."

CSUSTL's members, which span all major industrial sectors, including manufacturing, technology, agriculture, and mining (companies, associations, and worker representatives), depend on strong trade laws to ensure that they can compete on an equal footing with foreign competitors who dump to gain advantage in the U.S. market, or who benefit from government subsidies.

SOURCE Committee to Support U.S. Trade Laws