House to Consider Extending GSP & ATPDEA This Week

December 7, 2009

According to the weekly schedule posted on the House leadership’s website, the chamber will consider legislation to temporarily extend the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) and the Andean Trade Preference Act/Andean Trade Promotion and Drug Eradication Act (ATPA/ATPDEA) beyond their December 31, 2009 expiration dates this week.

The extension bill is expected to be introduced by House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel (D-NY) early this week and is expected to provide for a 1 year extension. However, as of late last week, the House and Senate had not yet reached an agreement on the length of the extension, but their leaders had been discussing an extension of anywhere between 6 to 24 months.

Although Rangel’s bill is expected to pass the House, it is not certain if the Senate will take up the same bill or introduce their own legislation to extend the programs.

More information on GSP/ATPDEA renewal will be posted to www.barnesrichardson.com as it becomes available.