Hatch, Brady, Wyden Announce Deal on Bipartisan Customs Legislation

Press Release

Utah Senator Orrin Hatch, who serves as Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, announced a deal on bipartisan customs legislation on Wednesday alongside House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady (R-Texas), and Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.). The bipartisan, bicameral trade legislation, H.R. 644, the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015, authorizes U.S. Customs and Border Protection and puts in place effective tools to strengthen trade enforcement at the border and facilitate the efficient movement of legitimate trade and travel.

Utah greatly benefits from trade, enjoying an estimated $5 billion trade surplus according to the World Trade Center of Utah. In 2014, Utah sent $12.3 billion of goods to foreign destinations and trade supports 374,000 jobs in the state.

"After productive negotiations, we were able to produce a strong, bipartisan bill that will help modernize the nation's customs system and ensure it is ready to meet the challenges of the 21st century global economy," said Hatch, who also serves as Chair of the conference committee. "Strong enforcement is a key element in our trade arsenal and thanks to this legislation the Administration will have a number of new tools to hold America's trading partners accountable. Even more, this measure promotes legitimate trade facilitation and works to preserve one of America's most important economic assets: intellectual property, helping to prevent counterfeit and illicit goods from entering our nation. We've put together a good package, and I look forward to working with my colleagues to get this report across the finish line and signed into law this year."

Sen. Hatch's efforts to ensure passage of Trade Promotion Authority earlier this year was lauded by Utah leaders for having a positive impact on the state's economy. The Conference Report for the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015 formally authorizes U.S. Customs and Border Protection, facilitates the legitimate trade of goods, and combats violations of U.S. trade laws. Congress is expected to soon vote on the conference report and send it to the President's desk to be signed into law.

"Expanding trade is key to our pro-growth agenda for America," said Brady, who also serves as Vice Chair of the conference committee. "Our bipartisan agreement turns the page on impractical, outdated customs and border policies that have hurt American workers and job creators for decades. By replacing inefficiency with innovation, this bill will make it easier for Americans to compete and win in marketplaces around the world. In addition, strong enforcement provisions will also level the playing field and help ensure that other countries follow the same rules. This conference report fulfills our commitment to members of Congress during the discussion of TPA to make sure the President enforces trade agreements, not just negotiates them. This agreement is only one of many pro-growth steps we'll take in the months ahead to help all Americans prosper and succeed."

"This enforcement package is about jobs," said Wyden. "Too often, our laws and enforcement policies have proven too slow or too weak to stop the trade cheats before jobs are lost. The Leveling the Playing Field Act Congress passed earlier this year helped ensure that workers and businesses harmed by unfair trade have faster access to relief. This conference report, which includes the ENFORCE Act, will help ensure that this relief is effective and that trade cheats cannot evade the consequences of violating our trade laws. The bill we released today represents bipartisan trade enforcement priorities that were years in the making. It takes trade enforcement to a new level to protect workers and businesses in Oregon and around the country. Congress is now on the verge of passing the strongest package of trade enforcement policies in decades."

Source