On May 25, the US House of Representatives Committee on Ways and Means and the US Senate Finance Committee announced an open public comment period on individual tariff proposals that are under consideration for inclusion into a Miscellaneous Tariff Bills (MTB). The Ways and Means Committee posted 1,300 Miscellaneous Tariff Bill (MTBs) introduced in the House while the Senate Finance Committee posted 793 MTBs introduced in the Senate — each addressing a single duty modification or trade law change.

In an effort to promote an open and transparent process, both committees have provided the full legislative text of each individual bill and the related bill description and disclosure form online. The public is invited to comment on individual bills through an online submission process by June 22, 2012. Information about MTBs introduced in the House and Senate as well as how to submit comments on individual legislation can be found by clicking here (Senate Finance MTB) and here (House Ways and Means MTB).

The purpose of this MTB is to implement changes in the tariff schedule that will reduce the costs for US business and increase the competitiveness of domestic products. These changes are commonly temporary duty suspensions or other modifications applied to intermediate products or materials that are not produced domestically, or for which there is no domestic opposition. The process by which the MTB is developed has become standardized, and involves a substantial degree of consensus. This is the second step in that process which was outlined in an earlier alert.

Arent Fox is closely monitoring this process and urges companies which have a need or interest in tariff modifications to review the MTBs being considered for inclusion. For more information about the prospects for a Miscellaneous Tariff Bill and the potential for temporary duty suspensions, please contact Philip S. English, co-chair of Arent Fox’s Government Relations practice, or Laura Doyle, Government Relations Consultant at Arent Fox.

About the Authors

Philip English was a Member of the US House of Representative for 14 years, representing Western Pennsylvania’s 3rd District from 1995 to 2009. During his time in Congress, Rep. English served on the House Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee. Additionally, he was a Co-Chair of the Congressional Service Industries Caucus and a member of the President’s Export Council. Rep. English was a Congressional Representative to the World Trade Organization Ministerial Meetings and Advisor to the OECD Congressional Leadership Group.

Before joining Arent Fox, Laura Doyle spent more than three years working as the assistant director of government affairs at the American Council on Education (ACE). Prior to Laura’s time with ACE, she worked for seven years for US Representative Philip English who served on the Ways and Means Committee.