On November 15, the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), joined by more than 200 manufacturers and industry partners, converged on Capitol Hill to press lawmakers to pass a Miscellaneous Tariff Bill before the end of 2023. U.S. manufacturers have been operating without an MTB for almost three years, putting them at a disadvantage to foreign competitors. This event took place as part of the NAM's ongoing effort to support US businesses and sustain domestic competitiveness.
It is crucial to understand the economic implications associated with this issue. According to a NAM press release, operating without an MTB has cost U.S. manufacturers and other businesses more than $1.4 billion in anti-competitive tariffs to purchase products that they are only able to source outside of the U.S.
Moving on from the current situation, let's delve into some recent legislative history relevant to this topic. According to a 2021 Congressional Research Service report, the Miscellaneous Tariff Bill Act of 2018 was enacted in September 2018. However, the measure, which provided temporary U.S. duty suspensions or reductions on more than 3,000 imported products, expired on December 31, 2020. In June 2021, the Senate passed a bill that would have extended the duty suspensions or reductions.
The response from NAM and partner groups sheds light on potential solutions. "Congress can reverse course by passing the MTB through 2026 with meaningful retroactivity and reauthorizing future MTB cycles without broad and arbitrary restrictions that would be difficult to implement," the NAM and partner groups said.
To understand what's at stake here, we should note how seriously NAM's representatives take this matter. "If Congress is serious about supporting manufacturers and workers in the United States, they must prioritize the passage of the MTB by the end of this year," said NAM Director of Trade Facilitation Policy Ali Aafedt.
Finally, to provide some context about the organization leading this initiative: According to NAM’s website, the organization represents 14,000 member companies across all industrial sectors.
