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CSUSTL is a trade association headquartered in Washington DC. Our membership consists of 429 companies and organizations representing 167 industries, agriculture,
and mining sectors. Current members have facilities/sites located in all 50 states of the nation. Member companies and organizations are situated in the congressional districts/states of 223 House Members and 100 Senators.
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If you have an interest in the trade laws this is the source for you. Receive timely updates on what is happening to our laws with information that you can use.
CSUSTL Celebrating over Three Decades of Service
How it began >
During the late 20th century the Uruguay Round included the governments of 123 countries in negotiations to create an international organization to govern almost all trade in the world from pencils to telecommunications. It was the largest trade negotiation ever in the history of the world. Many US trading partners saw this as their opportunity to strip away the 100-year-old trade remedy laws used by the US to protect against unfair trade practices. Fair and effective the laws were viewed as an obstacle by these nations in their efforts to capture US markets by using unfair trade practices to destroy US business. Many within the US government felt we would ultimately need to sacrifice the trade laws to get a deal. In January of 1989 a small group of US companies and law firms banded together to maintain and improve these laws in the negotiations. They were called the Committee To Support US Trade Laws, or CSUSTL. In April, 1994, the final deal was signed by all 123 governments. Against overwhelming odds the group was successful in its advocacy to preserve the effectiveness of the laws, and has continued that mission ever since.
ISSUE
SPOTLIGHT
CONGRESS CONSIDERING PASSAGE OF FULL YEAR CONTINUING RESOLUTION (CR) WHICH WOULD STRIKE $6.5 MILLION IN FUNDING TO ENFORCE US TRADE REMEDY LAWS
Over the past several years, hundreds of companies, farms, and unions, have seen their communities and local economies destroyed from illegally dumped products because the US government did not have adequate resources to enforce the antidumping (“AD”) and countervailing duty (“CVD”) laws. Enforcement of the trade remedy laws is funded under the Enforcement and Compliance (E&C) budget line of the International Trade Administration. E&C’s workload has surged over the past several years, but no additional funding has been provided. CSUSTL supported the inclusion of a $6.5M plus-up in both the House and Senate bills specifically dedicated to setting up a much-needed 9th enforcement office in fiscal year 2022. The funding provides the necessary tools – case analysts, accountants, programmers, and attorneys - to effectively enforce the laws bringing a real-world improvement to the daily lives of US workers and their families. But the government is currently operating under a short-term continuing resolution (CR) through the middle of Feb 2022. If Congress is unable to conclude the conference negotiations it is possible that they will enact a full year CR which would result in striking this funding from the final FY22 appropriations. CSUSTL, as well as others, is working with their congressional supporters to ensure that Congress enacts the pending appropriations bills and avoid a full year CR.
Recent News
January 18, 2022 -- As part of its ongoing speaker series, CSUSTL announces it will be holding a Roundtable Session with Department of Commerce Assistant Secretary Lisa Wang to discuss pending trade remedy law issues. The meeting is scheduled for 1/26/22. Participation is limited to CSUSTL's Executive Committee.
December 2021/January 2022 -- CSUSTL conducts a series of virtual meetings with 18 Senators of the Senate Appropriations CJS subcommittee to secure FY22 funding for effective enforcement of the AD/CVD laws though creation of a 9th enforcement office at the ITA.
December 2, 2021 -- CSUSTL endorses "The Level the Playing Field Act 2.0" introduced by U.S. Reps. Terri Sewell (AL-07) and Bill Johnson (OH-06) and initiates nationwide campaign to obtain congressional cosponsors for the legislation. The bill would strengthen U.S. trade remedy laws to protect American workers against unfair and illegal trade practices by offshore competitors.
