Over the last few weeks there have been two separate trade related bills making headlines.
Both the Trade Promotion Authority (TPA) and the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) have the potential to help American workers. Understanding the purpose of each bill, and where the bill is at in Congress, can become a bit complicated. To help sift through the acronyms and related details, we have provided you a definition of each bill, as well as where the bill stands in the legislative approval process currently.
News / Supply Chain Alerts
After nearly 11 months, the Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) and the International Longshore & Warehouse Union (ILWU) have announced a ratification of a new five-year contract.
CBP announced that the next phase of its Importer Security Filing (ISF) enforcement will begin on May 14, 2015. This marks the end of the final one-year limited liquidated damage (LD)/”three strikes” phase of a six-year evolution of ISF enforcement. In summary, here is what will change:
Trade Agreements Put on Fast Track
The Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act (TPA) [1] introduced by Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and House Ways and Means Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) easily passed its first hurdle when both House and Senate committees agreed to give President Obama fast-track authority to negotiate trade deals such as the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) and Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (T-TIP). The bipartisan legislation also allows Congress to vote on the treaties. But the package of bills intended to speed completion of the deal also imposes difficult burdens on its negotiators.[2] The legislation faces difficult fights over amendments on human trafficking, currency and investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS).
The International Longshore & Warehouse Union (ILWU) announced in a press release on Friday April 3rd, that the majority of their delegates had voted in favor of recommending to their membership the tentative agreement reached on February 20th.
Should Congress fail to pass a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection will have to furlough approximately 6,000 employees at midnight, February 27.
The Pacific Maritime Association (PMA) and the International Longshore Warehouse Union (ILWU) announced a tentative agreement that must still be approved by the ILWU membership.
Yesterday, the PMA (Pacific Maritime Association) announced the temporary suspension of premium-pay weekend and holiday vessel operations. This impacts 29 West Coast ports on four of the next five days: Thursday, 2/12 (Lincoln’s Birthday); Saturday, 2/14; Sunday, 2/15; and Monday, 2/16 (Washington’s Birthday). The PMA indicated that yard, rail and gate operations would continue at terminal operators’ discretion.
This afternoon the PMA (Pacific Maritime Association) announced that weekend operations of vessel loading and unloading will be temporarily suspended. The PMA indicated that yard, rail and gate operations would continue at terminal operators’ discretion.
On Wednesday afternoon the PMA (Pacific Maritime Association) announced that an “All-In” offer had been submitted to ILWU (International Longshore Warehouse Union) in an effort to bring closure to eight months of ongoing contract negotiations. Details pertaining to compensation and health care offer were disclosed within the PMA press release.