The calls to renew GSP from House members across the political spectrum continued last week with high-profile letters from a bipartisan group of 20 Florida House Members as well as the New Democrat Coalition.
The Florida House Member letter to Ways & Means Chairman Jason Smith and Ranking Member Richard Neal urged GSP renewal and supported updates to outdated rules such as CNLs. Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the Democratic letter lead, said “Renewing GSP is a win-win proposition for consumers, workers, and local businesses, especially in Florida. In addition to lowering operating costs and prices, preferential trade policies promise to continue lifting millions out of poverty and reducing China’s influence on U.S. supply chains.” Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart, the Republican lead, added “By reauthorizing GSP, we would revitalize our communities, bolster our economy, and counter China’s influence in our hemisphere.” The letter was signed by about 3/4ths of the Florida delegation, including Reps. Bean, Bilirakis, Buchanan, Castor, Cherfilus-McCormick, Dunn, Frankel, Franklin, Frost, Gimenez, Lee, Mast, Moskowitz, Rutherford, Salazar, Soto, Webster, and Wilson.
Separately, the New Democrat Coalition letter to President Joe Biden cited GSP renewal not once, but twice, in its eight-step policy plan to strengthen U.S. trade policy. In its section on ways to “Counter Competitive Threats and Abuses from China,” the New Democrats called for GSP reauthorization “to encourage companies to move production out of China and into developing nations.” The New Democrats also endorsed renewal of GSP and other programs in its section on ways to “Reduce Barriers to Trade that Increase Costs for Americans and Hurt U.S. Businesses.”
These are just the latest examples of Members of Congress speaking out about the need to renew GSP. In July, 66 bipartisan House Members sent a letter to Smith and Neal supporting GSP renewal as a way to “help facilitate supply chain shifts out of China.” Bipartisan support for GSP renewal was evident at the September House Ways and Means Committee GSP hearing.
