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World Trade Organization: Overview and Future Direction
This report provides background history of the World Trade Organization (WTO), its organization, and current status of negotiations. It also explores concerns regarding the WTO's future direction and key policy issues for Congress.
The "National Security Exception" and the World Trade Organization
This report examines the meaning of the national security exception in Article XXI of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)--a provision also implicated in a recent World Trade Organization (WTO) dispute between Russia and Ukraine; a blockade of Qatar by Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates; and a few other disputes.
U.S. Tariff Policy: Overview
This report provides a brief overview of United States tariff policy. A tariff is a customs duty levied on imported and exported goods and services, typically used to protect domestic industries or as leverage in trade negotiations and disputes.
Section 232 Investigations: Overview and Issues for Congress
This report provides an overview of Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, analyzes the Trump Administration's Section 232 investigations and actions, and considers potential policy and economic implications and issues for Congress. To provide context for the current debate, the report also includes a discussion of previous Section 232 investigations and a brief legislative history of the statute.
United States and Saudi Arabia Energy Relations
This report provides an overview of the U.S.-Saudi Arabia energy relationship that dates back to at least 1933. Since then, this relationship has witnessed the creation of the Arabian American Oil Company (Aramco), nationalization and ownership transfer of Aramco to Saudi Arabia (renamed Saudi Aramco), a Saudi-supported embargo of crude oil shipments to the United States, and various periods of energy cooperation. Today, the U.S.-Saudi energy relationship includes interests within three general categories: (1) energy trade, (2) business operations, and (3) global petroleum prices.
U.S.-India Trade Relations
This report discusses trade relations between the United States and India. Many observers believe bilateral commercial ties could be more extensive if trade and investment barriers were addressed.
Arms Sales: Congressional Review Process
This report reviews the process and procedures that currently apply to congressional consideration of foreign arms sales proposed by the President. This includes consideration of proposals to sell major defense equipment, defense articles and services, or the re-transfer to third party states of such military items.
U.S.-Japan Announce New Limited Trade Negotiations
This report discusses announced plans for bilateral negotiations for a trade agreement between the United States and Japan.
Effects of U.S. Tariff Action on U.S. Aluminum Manufacturing
This report discusses the aluminum tariffs put in effect by the U.S. in March 2018. The United States has assessed duties of 10% or more on certain imports of aluminum on national security grounds. The duties are controversial, with some Members of Congress questioning whether the duties will encourage domestic aluminum production and whether they could adversely affect U.S. industries that use aluminum.
Escalating Tariffs: Potential Impacts
This report examines the potential impacts of U.S. trade actions on steel and aluminium tariffs and tariffs against China.
International Law and Agreements: Their Effect upon U.S. Law
This report provides an introduction to the roles that international law and agreements play in the United States. This includes the role of different branches of government play in navigating such laws.
NAFTA and the Preliminary U.S.-Mexico Agreement
This report outlines the key provisions of the agreement between the U.S. and Mexico that is set to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
WTO Disciplines on U.S. Domestic Support for Agriculture
This report outlines the rules and disciplines the United States has committed to abide by as a member of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Costs of Government Interventions in Response to the Financial Crisis: A Retrospective
This report summarizes government assistance programs and presents how much the programs ultimately cost (or benefit) the taxpayers based on straightforward cash accounting as reported by the various agencies.
Labor Enforcement Issues in U.S. FTAs
This report discusses labor enforcement in free trade agreements (FTAs), U.S. labor disputes, and issues for Congress to consider.
Agriculture in the WTO: Rules and Limits on U.S. Domestic Support
This report provides a brief overview of the World Trade Organization (WTO) commitments that are most relevant for U.S. domestic farm policy. It includes a discussion regarding how WTO commitments may influence policies and questions for evaluating WTO compliance of domestic farm spending..
Trade Promotion Authority (TPA): Frequently Asked Questions
This report discusses the Trade Promotion Authority program which allows the President to request an expedited procedure for an international trade deal that meets certain requirements. The report answers a variety of frequently asked questions regarding TPA's functions and purpose and Congressional power over it.
U.S. Trade Debates: Select Disputes and Actions
This report discusses a number of significant trade disputes involving the United States over the past 100 years. It is a response to the 271 active trade disputes currently being addressed in the World Trade Organization (WTO) that involve the United States.
CFIUS Reform: Foreign Investment National Security Reviews
This report discusses recent legislation, known as the Foreign Investment Risk Review Modernization Act (FIRRMA) of 2018. The legislation amends the current process for the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to review -- on behalf of the President -- the national security implications of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the United States.
Trade Adjustment Assistance for Workers and the TAA Reauthorization Act of 2015
After a brief discussion of the program's purpose and most recent reauthorization, this report describes TAA as reauthorized by the Trade Adjustment Assistance Reauthorization Act of 2015 (TAARA, Title IV of P.L. 114-27).
Proposed U.S.-EU Trade Negotiations: Hitting Pause on a Trade War?
This report discusses the announcement by the United States and European Union (EU) that they are at a "new phase" in their relationship for "freer, fairer, and more reciprocal trade." The announcement came on July 25, 2018 at a challenging time for transatlantic trade relations.
Overview of U.S.-South Korea Agricultural Trade
This report provides an overview of U.S.-South Korea agricultural trade, including details of key agricultural products and issues affecting U.S. exports.
Buy America and the Electric Bus Market
This report discusses a current controversy over how Buy America (which requires that federally-funded highway, public transportation, aviation, and intercity passenger rail projects use U.S.-made manufactured goods) applies to battery-powered buses. This controversy illustrates the challenges in determining whether or not a product is made in the United States.
U.S.-China Trade Issues
This report provides background and analysis of U.S.-China commercial ties, including history, trends, issues, and outlook.
U.S.-China Trade Issues
This report provides a summary of U.S.-China commercial ties, including history, trends, issues, and outlook.
U.S.-EU Trade and Economic Issues
This report discusses U.S.-EU trade and economic relations, which currently face heightened tension, particularly due to the Trump Administration's trade policy, which is focusing on unilateral tariff measures under U.S. trade law and taking a critical view of the U.S. role in international economic cooperation. Given U.S.-EU historical joint leadership on global trade and economic issues, these developments could have implications for the rules-based international trading system, a foundation of the global economic order that has contributed to global economic growth and stability in the post-World War II era.
Escalating Tariffs: Timeline and Potential Impact
This report provides a timeline of key events related to U.S. trade actions on steel and aluminium tariffs and tariffs against China.
The World Trade Organization (WTO): U.S. Participation at Risk?
This report discusses the possibility that the U.S. will withdraw from the World Trade Organization (WTO), after the Trump Administration expressed doubt over its value to the U.S. economy.
China-U.S. Trade Issues
This report provides an overview of U.S.-China commercial ties, identifies major issues of contention, describes the Trump Administration's trade policies toward China, and reviews possible outcomes.
Potential WTO Implications of USDA's Proposed Response to Trade-Retaliation
This report briefly discusses the World Trade Organization (WTO) commitments that are relevant to U.S. domestic support programs and how the newly-announced U.S. trade retaliation assistance program may or may not comply with those WTO commitments.
Section 232 Investigations: Overview and Issues for Congress
This report provides an overview of Section 232, analyzes the Trump Administration's Section 232 investigations and actions, and considers potential policy and economic implications and issues for Congress. To provide context for the current debate, the report also includes a discussion of previous Section 232 investigations and a brief legislative history of the statute.
Section 232 Investigations: Overview and Issues for Congress
This report provides an overview of Section 232, which relates to trade barriers and other foreign practices. It analyzes the Trump Administration's Section 232 investigations and actions and considers potential policy and economic implications and issues for Congress. To provide context for the current debate, the report also includes a discussion of previous Section 232 investigations and a brief legislative history of the statute.
NAFTA Renegotiation and Modernization
This report provides a brief overview of NAFTA and the role of Congress in the renegotiation process; it discusses key issues related to the negotiations. It also provides a discussion of policy implications for Congress going forward.
U.S.-EU Trade and Economic Issues
This report discusses U.S.-EU trade and economic relations, which currently face heightened tension, particularly due to the Trump Administration's trade policy, which is focusing on unilateral tariff measures under U.S. trade law and taking a critical view of the U.S. role in international economic cooperation. Given U.S.-EU historical joint leadership on global trade and economic issues, these developments could have implications for the rules-based international trading system, a foundation of the global economic order that has contributed to global economic growth and stability in the post-World War II era.
U.S.-EU Trade and Investment Ties: Magnitude and Scope
This report provides background information and analysis on the trade and investment relationship between the United States and the European Union. It also discusses the EU economy and issues for Congress.
The U.S. Trade Deficit: An Overview
This report provides an overview of the U.S. trade deficit, which is the numerical difference between a country's exports and imports of goods and services. Topics include the source of the trade deficit, trade agreements, unemployment, and issues for Congress.
China-U.S. Trade Issues
This report provides background and analysis of U.S.-China commercial ties, including history, trends, issues, and outlook.
NATO's 2018 Brussels Summit
This report discusses the meeting of leaders from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO's) 29 member states, scheduled to take place on hold a summit at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, on July 11-12, 2018. Despite the heightened U.S.-European tensions, NATO officials say they expect the allies to announce new NATO initiatives in six main areas at the summit: enhancing collective defense and deterrence, defense spending and burdensharing, countering terrorism, enhancing NATO cooperation with the European Union, and NATO enlargement.
Section 232 Investigations: Overview and Issues for Congress
This report provides an overview of Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, which provides the President with the ability to impose restrictions on certain imports based on an affirmative determination by the U.S. Department of Commerce that the product under investigation "is being imported into the United States in such quantities or under such circumstances as to threaten to impair the national security." It also analyzes the Trump Administration's Section 232 investigations and actions, and considers potential policy and economic implications and issues for Congress.
Trade Deficits and U.S. Trade Policy
This report examines the components of the U.S. trade deficit in terms of the merchandise trade account and the broader current account. It also assesses the relationship between the trade deficit and U.S. free trade agreements, perceived unfair treatment in trading relationships, the trade deficit and U.S. rates of unemployment, and the impact of tariffs on the U.S. trade deficit, as well as raises issues for potential congressional consideration.
OPEC and Non-OPEC Crude Oil Production Agreement: Compliance Status
This report discusses OPEC countries and 11 non-OPEC countries agreement starting in late 2016 to reduce oil production and the purposes and impact of the agreement.
U.S. Trade with Free Trade Agreement (FTA) Partners
This report presents data on U.S. merchandise (goods) trade with its Free Trade Agreement (FTA) partner countries. The data are presented to show bilateral trade balances for individual FTA partners and groups of countries representing such major agreements as the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the Central American Free Trade Agreement and Dominican Republic (CAFTA-DR) relative to total U.S. trade balances. This report also discusses the issues involved in using bilateral merchandise trade balances as a standard for measuring the economic effects of a particular FTA.
What's the Difference?: Comparing U.S. and Chinese Trade Data
This report examines the differences in the trade data from the two nations in two ways. First, it compares the trade figures using the Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System (Harmonized System) to discern any patterns in the discrepancies between the U.S. and Chinese data. The second approach to examining the differing trade data involves a review of the existing literature on the technical and non-technical sources of the trade data discrepancies. This report is updated annually, after the release of official trade data by China and the United States.
The Economic Effects of Trade: Overview and Policy Challenges
This report focuses on a number of major issues concerning the role of trade and trade agreements in the economy and issues that are particular to Free Trade Agreements (FTA), including the role of trade in the economy and the macroeconomic forces that drive the trade deficit; the impact of trade on employment and the adjustment costs experienced by firms and workers; estimates of the number of jobs in the economy that are supported by trade and economic models used to estimate the impact of FTAs on employment; the impact of FTAs on foreign investment and employment; and the relationship between trade and the distribution of income.
Softwood Lumber Imports from Canada: Current Issues
This report discusses current issues and developments in "Lumber V", a dispute between Canada and the U.S. over the pricing and quantity of softwood lumber imports from Canada to the U.S., which has been a source of friction between the two countries for decades.
Trade Promotion Authority (TPA): Frequently Asked Questions
This report discusses the Trade Promotion Authority program which allows the President to request an expedited procedure for an international trade deal that meets certain requirements. The report answers a variety of frequently asked questions regarding TPA's functions and purpose and Congressional power over it.
China's Retaliatory Tariffs on Selected U.S. Agricultural Products
This report discusses China's retaliatory tariffs on many U.S. agricultural products in response to the U.S. tariffs on Chinese steel and aluminium imports.
U.S. Trade Deficit and the Impact of Changing Oil Prices
This report provides an estimate of the initial impact of changing oil prices on the United States's merchandise trade balance.
Nuclear Cooperation with Other Countries: A Primer
This report discusses the United States's nuclear cooperation with other countries and requirements for export agreements for civilian nuclear parts with other countries.
China--U.S. Trade Issues
This report provides background and analysis of U.S.-China commercial ties, including history, trends, issues, and outlook.
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