ITC Requests Funding Increase Due to Heavier Workload, Including Cross-Border Trucking Study
The International Trade Commission is asking for an additional $2.75 million over its current funding level of $99.4 million because of the demands of high levels of antidumping and Section 337 investigations, and the requirement to do an investigation on “whether the U.S. long-haul trucking industry is materially harmed by an increase in cross-border trucking services provided by Mexican suppliers.” That investigation is part of USMCA implementation.
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Jason Kearns, chair of the ITC, sent a letter to appropriators on July 15. Without the additional money, Kearns said, the ITC has a “high risk” of failing to complete the investigation within 120 days, and also risks not meeting its other responsibilities.
The agency had requested $105 million for the coming fiscal year, but is concerned that Congress will not fund the government by Sept. 30, and instead pass a continuing resolution, which would continue funding at this year's levels. Even that request was based on an assuming that there would be 16 antidumping and countervailing duty investigations in the coming fiscal year, but through June, ITC already had received 20 petitions during FY20. Kearns said even $105 million would not be adequate for the workload.
“Finally, trade policy actions have resulted in a substantial number of revisions to the U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS). Commission staff have already completed 22 revisions to the HTS in FY 2020 as a result of section 301 exclusions under the Trade Act of 1974; the entry into force of USMCA on July 1, 2020; and statistical breakouts of categories of goods, including those related to the COVID-19 pandemic.” Usually, only two to three revisions are needed annually, he said.