COMMITTEE REPORT

NCSL RELEASES NEW PREEMPTION MONITOR

Federal preemption of state authority remains a grave concern for state legislators. On March 28, NCSL launched a new publication to help track those preemption threats and to analyze their implications. The Preemption Monitor will be published quarterly, as a companion to NCSL’s Mandate Monitor. The press release announcing the launch is online at www.ncsl.org/programs/press/2005/pr050328.htm. The publication is at http://www.ncsl.org/print/standcomm/sclaw/preemption0503.pdf. Please contact Trina Caudle at trina.caudle@ncsl.org with any questions or comments.

FEDERAL OFFICIALS HEADLINE NCSL SPRING FORUM

Michael Leavitt, Secretary of Health and Human Services, and Peter Allgeier, Acting U.S. Trade Representative, are confirmed to speak at plenary sessions of the NCSL Spring Forum on April 14-16 in Washington, D.C. The Economic Development, Trade & Cultural Affairs Committee has been invited to a lunch at the American Bankers Association with the Financial Services Committee to discuss issues of common interest. Please see www.ncsl.org/forum/ for registration and hotel information. Agenda updates for the Committee are at www.ncsl.org/standcomm/scecon/scecon.htm. The agenda for the international trade seminar, co-hosted by NCSL and the National Association of Attorneys General, is at www.ncsl.org/standcomm/scecon/seminaragendaspring05.htm.

PORTMAN TAPPED AS NEXT U.S. TRADE REPRESENTATIVE

President Bush announced on March 17 that he intends to nominate U.S. Congressman Rob Portman, a Republican from Ohio, as the next U.S. Trade Representative. Congressman Portman currently serves on the U.S. House Ways and Means Committee and its Subcommittee on Trade. He is also the Vice Chairman of the Budget Committee. Congressional and international leaders have expressed optimism about potentially working with him as the USTR. Congressman Portman’s response to the nomination is online at http://portman.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=7320.

USTR RELEASES ANNUAL TRADE BARRIER REPORT

On March 30, the U.S. Trade Representative office released its annual report on foreign barriers to U.S. exports and investments. The report outlines the status of trade with 61 trading partners, and cites continued concerns relating to a dispute between the U.S. and the European Union over EU subsidies to the Airbus manufacturers, and to the discussions about U.S. beef exports to Japan. China still maintains considerable barriers to trade and has not completed implementation of and compliance with World Trade Organizations standards, which it joined in 2001. The report, “2005 National Trade Estimate (NTE) Report on Foreign Trade Barriers” is online at www.ustr.gov.

SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION FUNDING RESTORED IN SENATE BUDGET

In a hearing of the U.S. Senate Small Business Committee in February, Senator Olympia Snowe noted that small business is responsible for 50% of the Gross Domestic Product; conversely, the Small Business Administration (SBA) has suffered a 36% cut over the last 5 years. Senators Snowe and John Kerry, Chair and Ranking Member of the Committee, submitted an amendment to the FY2006 Senate budget resolution restoring $78 million to the SBA budget, which passed with bipartisan support. The provision increased the SBA FY2006 budget to $671 million.

BEEF TRADE WITH JAPAN COULD REOPEN THIS SUMMER