THE UNITED STATES INTERNATIONAL TRADE COMMISSION WANTS TO HEAR FROM YOU! What are the obstacles your company faces to export? The USITC would like to know what the U.S. government can do to help businesses sell their products to new overseas markets. In order to make recommendations to the Office of the President, they are asking the American business community to weigh in regarding the challenges of exporting.
It is critically important that companies provide input to the ITC to show the White House and Congress how strongly U.S. businesses depend on international trade to create jobs. The deadline for submissions to the ITC is 5:15 pm on Tuesday, May 28, 2010. For questions regarding written comments, please contact
Laura Bloodgood at USITC via email laura.bloodgood@usitc.gov
or at (202) 708-4726 .
CalAPEC Update US government and business officials, including the California Chamber of Commerce and member companies met in northern California on January 19-20 to discuss upcoming APEC meetings. For further information click here and visit www.calchamber.com/APEC
The “Small Business Int’l Trade Enhancements Act of 2009” (S. 1196 – Senator Mary L. Landrieu D-LA),which would increase the total amount of available trade financing, adjust collateral requirements, and encourage better collaboration on small business export assistance among federal government agencies.
The “Small Business Export Opportunity Act of 2009” (S. 1208 – Senator Olympia Snowe R-ME ) , which would create a new Office of Small business Export Development and Promotion at the Small Business Administration. It would also increase the maximum export loan amount and create a grant program that matches funds for expenses incurred by small businesses that are actively working to start or expand export activities.
The “Trade Reform, Accountability, Development, and Employment (TRADE) Act” (H.R. 3012 - Congressman Mike Michaud D-ME), which would generate additional bureaucratic reporting requirements relating to international trade agreements on top of those that already exist, was introduced in the House on June 24, 2009. This legislation would place new roadblocks to future trade agreements intended to lower foreign taxes on U.S. exports and require the renegotiation of existing trade agreements. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) is expected to introduce companion legislation in the Senate in July.
International Tax Proposal The proposal would raise taxes on U.S. companies doing business overseas. The limitation or repeal of deferral, as proposed by the Obama administration, would impose a unilateral tax on the foreign earnings of American companies, upsetting the competitive balance between U.S. and foreign companies. This will result in a loss of jobs for Americans and serious negative impacts on the U.S. economy. Oppose.
Finance Director: California Needs to 'Right its Fiscal House' CalChamber, January 15, 2010
The following bills are related to international trade and have been introduced in the California State Legislature in the 2009-2010 Legislative Session.
Any CalChamber position is noted on the CalChamber Legislative website:
SB 657 (Steinberg; D-Sacramento) Human Trafficking Mandates that “every retail seller and manufacturer doing business in this state” develop, maintain, and implement a policy addressing the eradication of slavery and human trafficking from their supply chain. The bill inappropriately makes California employers responsible for the actions of businesses with which they have no contractual relationship, are located in other countries, and could be engaged in activities that may best be handled on a diplomatic level.
California Coalition For Free Trade
The CalChamber Council for International Trade (CIT) is urging members of the business community to join(click here to download membership form) its coalition working to secure congressional approval of the free trade agreements (FTAs) with Colombia, Panama and South Korea. Companies .or associations that join the California Coalition for Free Trade will be included on the rapidly growing list of FTA supporters. There is no cost to join the coalition, which will keep members apprised of its activities and how to be supportive of the FTAs. For more information on the FTAs or to join the coalition, visit
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