Latest News

December 4, 2018
U.S.-China Trade Truce
On Dec. 1, President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed to a temporary trade ceasefire to allow time for more negotiations. The truce means that U.S. tariffs on $200 billion worth of goods will not rise to 25 percent on Jan. 1, 2019, from 10 percent currently. As part of the deal, China agreed to [Read More]
December 4, 2018
U.S. Signs New Trade Deal with Mexico and Canada
On Nov. 30, President Donald Trump, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto signed the new U.S. Mexico Canada Agreement (USMCA) in Buenos Aires, using the backdrop of the G-20 Summit to resolve a trade dispute between the U.S. and its closest neighbors. The USMCA replaces the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), [Read More]
October 3, 2018
U.S. Reaches Trade Pact with Canada and Mexico
The U.S. and Canada announced late Sept. 30 they had reached a deal for Canada to stay in the North American trade pact with the U.S. and Mexico. The announcement was made an hour before a White House-imposed deadline of midnight on Sept 30. In a joint statement, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Canadian Foreign Affairs [Read More]
September 5, 2018
Biz Opportunities in Saudi Arabia
NSBA President Todd McCracken will be a featured speaker at the U.S.-Saudi SME Forum in Los Angeles this October 1 and 2. Attendees will learn key strategies for improving business performance while making key contacts and meeting potential partners in both the U.S. and Saudi Arabia. Industry sectors that are targeted by this event include: advanced manufacturing, [Read More]
September 5, 2018
New US-Mexico Trade Agreement
Recently, President Donald Trump announced the U.S. has reached a preliminary agreement in principle with Mexico in the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Subject to finalization and implementation, the U.S.-Mexico agreement aims to support North American manufacturing and mutually beneficial trade for North American farmers, ranchers, businesses, and workers. When concluded [Read More]
July 18, 2018
Senate to Talk to Ex-Im Nominee
On Thursday, July 19, the Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs will hold a hearing on two recent nominees from President Donald Trump, including Kimberly Reed, nominee for President of the U.S. Export-Import Bank (Ex-Im). Reed was named by Trump in June, and would take over for Jeffrey Gerrish who was appointed acting president of Ex-Im [Read More]
June 27, 2018
Trump Nominates Ex-Im President
On June 20, President Donald Trump tapped Kimberly Reed, a former Treasury official and president of the International Food Information Council Foundation, to lead the U.S. Export-Import Bank (Ex-Im), marking the next step forward in the years-long fight to revive the bank. Previously, on April 25, he appointed Jeffrey Gerrish to be the Acting President [Read More]
April 25, 2018
USTR Official Tapped for Ex-Im Post
According to the White House, Deputy U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Jeffrey Gerrish will be named Acting President of the Export-Import Bank of the U.S. (Ex-Im). Mr. Gerrish will continue his role at USTR while serving at the export credit agency. Ex-Im operates under a renewable general statutory charter, and was extended through Sept. 30, 2019 [Read More]
March 7, 2018
Tariffs Problematic for Small Biz
On Thursday, March 1, 2018 President Donald Trump announced plans to impose a 25 percent tariff on steel imports and a 10 percent tariff on aluminum imports as early as this week. The announcement, made during a meeting with steel and aluminum executives, rattled markets and rankled many Republicans throughout the D.C. Beltway, and resulted [Read More]
January 17, 2018
House OK’s Bill to Reduce Import Tariffs
On Jan. 16, 2018, the House passed the 2017 Miscellaneous Tariff Bill Act (H.R. 4318), which promises to eliminate $1.1 billion in import tariffs during the next three years and increase U.S. manufacturing output by more than $3.1 billion. Introduced on Nov. 9, 2017, by House Ways and Means Chairman Kevin Brady (R-Texas), Ranking Member [Read More]

EX-IM Bank Shutdown