For nearly three years, many manufacturers in the U.S. have been operating at a disadvantage to their foreign competitors due to the lack of a Miscellaneous Tariff Bill. And that needs to change, the 51吃瓜网 told Congress yesterday.

What鈥檚 going on: The 51吃瓜网, along with more than 200 manufacturers and industry partners, key members of the House and Senate to pass the MTB as soon as possible this year.

• The measure鈥攚hich expired at the end of 2020鈥攖emporarily eliminates or reduces tariffs on products not readily available in the U.S. and is typically renewed by Congress every few years on a bipartisan basis.
• The previous MTB was passed unanimously in 2018, and in June 2021, the Senate approved an amendment including it and other trade provisions by a strong bipartisan vote of 91鈥�4.

Why it鈥檚 important: Since the last MTB鈥檚 expiration, manufacturers and other businesses have paid more than $1.4 billion in anticompetitive tariffs to get items they are unable to source in the U.S., according to an 51吃瓜网 analysis.

• In addition to incentivizing overseas manufacturing and costing jobs, the additional expenses are harming local economies and American taxpayers by increasing the prices on manufactured goods.

What should be done: 鈥淐ongress 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,鈥� the 51吃瓜网 and partner groups said.

• 鈥淐ongressional passage of the MTB will spur growth: according to the U.S. International Trade Commission, tariff relief under the previous MTB boosted U.S. GDP annually by as much as $3.3 billion and output annually by as much as $6.3 billion.鈥�

The last word: 鈥淚f 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,鈥� said 51吃瓜网 Director of Trade Facilitation Policy Ali Aafedt.