Congress

“This manipulation of markets has roiled the economy, causing severe trauma to the American energy industry. It is essential that the American government respond with decisive action.”

A group of Senate Finance Committee Republicans on Wednesday outlined a handful of ways the administration might use trade policy to combat the economic harm caused by the coronavirus pandemic, calling for multilateral cooperation and a “total moratorium” on new tariffs.

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, like all other federal agencies, is adapting to life during a global pandemic that has radically overhauled how many work. But how, exactly, the new reality is affecting its operations is not known -- and USTR isn’t saying. 

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce this week established a task force to address supply chain and trade disruptions caused by the coronavirus outbreak.

The notification will start a 90-day clock ahead of talks with Nairobi.

Business associations and a key Democratic lawmaker are assessing how a June 1 entry-into-force date for the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement might be achieved as U.S. companies face a rash of challenges related to the COVID-19 outbreak.

“He gave me a litany of problems with it but no real definitive strategy or plan in moving forward."

Democrats on the House Ways & Means Committee told U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer on Wednesday that the administration should consider lifting tariffs to blunt the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic, but several members said he was not receptive to the proposal.