9:00 AM to 10:30 AM

Chelsea THOMAS, Senate Finance Committee (Off-the-record); Cass JOHNSON, National Council of Textiles Organizations (NCTO); and Stephanie BURGOS, OxFam. Additional Speaker TBA.     Moderator:  Katrin KULHMMAN, Aspen Institute

For the past few years, Congress and various stakeholders have been debating and discussing the pros and cons of a wide scale update and reform of the US system of trade preferences. Several bills have been introduced that would extend these programs while the key committees of jurisdiction have explored additional legislative approaches. Some thought the expiration of several programs at the end of this year presented a good opportunity for changes in benefits, conditionality, and country and product coverage. Others were worried that changes would upset a delicate balance of existing preference beneficiaries. In the end, the 111th Congress now looks like it will with a short to medium term extension of several existing programs (in addition to the Haiti reforms enacted earlier this year). What does the 112th Congress hold for this issue and how will new and returning Congressional tackle this debate before programs expire again?

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