Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., introduced the Drones for America Act, which would impose tariffs on Chinese drones and drone parts that escalate until drones with Chinese components are banned in 2028.
At an appearance at the Washington International Trade Association, Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., criticized the Trump administration for instituting an "on-again, off-again tariff structure, that, in some instances, are higher than even the Smoot-Hawley levels."
Senators on the Foreign Relations Committee asked the Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force to brief them on what it is going to do to combat the Chinese government's transfers of Uyghur workers to other provinces, thereby avoiding the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act ban on imports. They also asked what is the interagency task force's "plan for engagement with the private sector to improve compliance with the UFPLA."
The House Aerospace Caucus co-chair, and 23 other Republicans, are asking the administration to preserve zero tariffs for aerospace goods that have been in place since 1979 under the Civil Aircraft Agreement, and to push for more countries to pledge to allow imports of commercial aircraft and parts duty-free. (The U.S. is one of 58 countries that follow the agreement, though since the reciprocal tariffs were imposed, most aerospace imports outside Canada, Mexico and the U.K. are facing tariffs.)
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, wanted to include trade items in the bill that extends and expands Trump income tax cuts, according to a lobbyist on trade matters.
Republican House members from the Southeast and Florida's two senators are urging the Commerce Department to stick with its plan to impose antidumping duties on Mexican tomatoes on July 14.
Major Asian trading partners may be diverging as countries try to avoid U.S. tariffs jumping from 10% to rates in the mid 20s.
Producing scrubs in Haiti allows American firms to avoid 29% tariffs on pants, 16% tariffs on tops, and still import the fabric from Asia. But the trade preferences for Haiti known as HOPE/HELP expire in three months and 11 days, and Republicans who control the voting calendar are not reassuring the companies that it will be renewed on time.
Rodney Scott, who once led the Border Patrol, was confirmed by the Senate to be the leader of CBP, on a 51-46 vote. All Republicans present voted for Scott, and no Democrats or independents did.
The Senate version of the tax bill moving through Congress cut out two trade-related provisions that passed the House -- one, which would end de minimis for all imports in July 2027, and the other, curtailing drawback for tobacco products.