The Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015 (H.R. 644) passed the Senate in May and the House in June with differing provisions in a number of critical areas. Although formal House-Senate negotiations were not initiated before the August recess, informal work continues. Named conferees include Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-TX), and Sens. John Thune (R-SD) and Johnny Isakson (R-GA) as well as Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI).

The AWPA was part of a joint business letter urging the inclusion of the Enforcing Orders and Reducing Customs Evasion (ENFORCE) Act provisions in the final conference report. The Senate bill included the ENFORCE Act, which would put in place strong, enforceable and transparent provisions to prevent growing foreign efforts to evade trade-remedy orders put in place in accordance with existing law. The House included different language, including an un-vetted set of procedures that would have the Commerce Department seek to conduct border enforcement activities that are normally the role of the CBP.

Click here to read the joint business letter.