Andean Trade Preference Act Extension Misses Deadline
Members of the U.S. House of Representatives had been expected to approve a 4frac12;-month temporary extension of the Andean Trade Preferences Act on Feb. 8, passing it on to the U.S. Senate for consideration just days before the act expires on Feb. 12. But the bill now is not expected to return to the House floor until the week of Feb. 14.
The bill gives preferential duty treatment to goods from Colombia and Ecuador.
Coupled with passage of the ATPA is the Trade Adjustment Assistance program, which helps U.S. workers hurt by overseas competition.
Congress usually extends the ATPA for one-year periods. But the Republican majority in the House is trying to pressure the Obama administration to pass separate free-trade agreements signed in 2007 with Colombia as well as Panama. Congress is expected to approve a free-trade pact this summer with South Korea.—Deborah Belgum
