GSP, ATPA, MTB and TAA All Stall in Senate

December 22, 2010

The Omnibus Trade Act of 2010 (H.R. 6517) seems to have stalled in the Senate. The House passed H.R. 6517, which includes miscellaneous trade bill provisions and extensions for the Generalized System of Preferences program (GSP), for the Andean Trade Preferences program (ATPA), and for Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) provisions, on December 15, 2010 with bipartisan support. The main snag in the Senate appears to be that Senator Sessions has placed a “hold” on the bill due to his opposition to GSP duty-free benefits for sleeping bags, which he argues will injure a domestic manufacturer in Alabama. Additionally, some objections have been raised regarding moving Trade Adjustment Assistance forward without moving the U.S.-Columbia Free Trade Agreement simultaneously.

GSP for most countries, as well as the ATPA and the TAA are set to expire December 31, 2010.

For further information, contact a Barnes/Richardson attorney.