Following a failed procedural vote yesterday on a TPA/TAA package, Senate leaders struck a new deal that calls for separate votes on preferences legislation (including GSP) and the Customs bill tomorrow at 12:00PM.
To pass, the legislation will need at least 60 votes in favor. So we need everyone to call their Senate offices this afternoon/tomorrow morning and urge support before the vote.
Here are the basic talking points:
- GSP is good for American jobs and workers, but the ongoing expiration has had terrible impact
- Companies in the state have paid an estimated $XX in extra taxes because of GSP expiration (see below table for state estimates)
- GSP renewal is urgent: we’ve paid $XX in extra taxes over nearly 2 years and won’t be made whole for up to 4 months after program is renewed so every day matters
- Please support S. 1267, Trade Preferences Extension Act of 2015 when it comes up for a vote by the full Senate on May 14 (please note the name and bill number change)
Phone numbers for all Senate offices are available here. Please share this as widely as possible (Twitter, email, LinkedIn, etc.) so we can generate as many call as possible. If you get any feedback from offices, particularly negative, please let us know.
