Posts by Matt Zuiderhof

Tariffs on Canadian and Mexican Imports Rolled Back Until April 2nd Certain tariffs on Canada and Mexico are being suspended until April 2nd. This suspension applies to articles entering under USMCA (US/Mexico/Canada Trade Agreement), with a separate rate reduction on non-USMCA-eligible Canadian potash from 25% to 10%, effective at 12:01am on March 7th. It is…

Tariffs on Russia President Trump announced potential tariffs on Russian imports contingent upon Moscow reaching a ceasefire and peace agreement in its conflict with Ukraine. The President stated, “Considering the ongoing intense military actions by Russia against Ukraine, I am contemplating significant banking sanctions, additional sanctions, and tariffs on Russia until a ceasefire and a…

CDC Issues a Measles Alert The CDC has announced a health advisory regarding the measles outbreak in Texas and New Mexico. The agency recommends that all U.S. residents ensure their MMR vaccinations are current. Additionally, travelers to regions experiencing outbreaks, both domestically and internationally, should review local health notices and observe themselves for symptoms after…

This Week in Congress This week in Congress, the House voted on three resolutions brought under the Congressional Review Act to disapprove of regulations issued in the last months of the Biden administration.  Specifically, the resolutions would overturn an EPA regulation relating to rubber tire air pollutant requirements (H.J.Res. 61), a Department of Energy regulation…

FY24 Government Funding Expires March 14, 2025 Federal government funding will expire in 11 days. Congressional leadership will primarily focus on preventing a shutdown over the next two weeks. The House of Representatives will initially attempt to pass a continuing resolution (CR) to extend funding by the end of the current fiscal year (September 30). Historically,…

Update: Budget Reconciliation! Last week, House Republicans passed their budget resolution by 217-215, with Rep. Tom Massie (R-KY) joining all Democrats in opposition.  The House and Senate must align budget resolutions to use the reconciliation process. Leaders like John Thune (R-SD) and Mike Crapo (R-ID) demand permanent extension of all TCJA expiring tax provisions, which…

Tariffs Update On Monday, 25 percent tariffs on Mexico and Canada began after a month-long delay. President Trump implemented these to pressure leaders to address immigration and drug trafficking issues. Canada imposed a 10 percent import duty on energy products. The President signed orders to maintain the de minimis exemption for duty-free packages entering the…

ASA Supports FY25 Transportation Funding ASA, along with the Transportation Labor Coalition, sent a letter to Congressional Leadership requesting Congress to adhere to the Highway Trust Fund obligation limitation for FY 2025 as specified in the most recent surface transportation program reauthorization. The FY 2025 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations measures approved by the…

Faster Labor Contracts Act On March 4, Sens. Hawley (R-MO), Moreno (R-OH), Booker (D-NJ), Peters (D-MI), and Merkley (D-OR) introduced the Faster Labor Contracts Act. This bill mandates employers and unions to start negotiating collective bargaining agreements within 10 days of a union’s representation election win and finalize the agreement within months. Failure to comply…

DOL Nominee Lori Chavez-DeRemer’s Responses to the Senate HELP Committee On February 19, the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee held a confirmation hearing on the nomination of Lori Chavez-DeRemer (LCD) to serve as Secretary of Labor. Last week, she sent responses to questions for the record (QFRs) from Senators on the Committee with additional inquiries.…