GSP Renewal Bill Passes House in 400-2 Vote

A bill that would retroactively renew the Generalized System of Preferences, and extend the program for developing countries until the end of 2020, passed the House of Representatives Feb. 13 by a nearly unanimous vote -- 400-2 in favor. A companion bill has not yet been introduced in the Senate.

Senate action may come soon, Dan Anthony, leader of the Coalition for GSP, said in a Feb. 14 interview. Senate staffers told Anthony that a GSP renewal and Miscellaneous Tariff Bill package is expected to come to a vote in the next few months, he said. There have been some hints that the bills could be part of the omnibus funding bill that must be approved by March 23, but Anthony said that is unconfirmed. “The final vote confirmed what we already knew: GSP has broad, bipartisan support and would pass easily once given a vote," Anthony said in a statement. The American Apparel and Footwear Association also celebrated the House vote in a statement.

The bill will require that the administration make annual reports to Congress about eligibility for the 120 countries and territories that are covered by GSP. It also will make technical fixes to the how data is reviewed for competitive needs limitations waivers (see 1711030048). “The GSP program reduces tariffs -- which are essentially taxes -- on thousands of products from around the world. Last year, the GSP program saved American job creators more than $865 million in tariffs," House Ways and Means Chairman Kevin Brady, R-Texas, said in a statement released after Tuesday evening's vote.