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Hearing “Workforce Rewired: Modern Apprenticeships for a Modern Economy”
house Higher Education and Workforce Development Subcommittee · Jun 24, 2026 · Transcript · 8 transcript matches
NORCROSS, DONALD "We understand that apprenticeships are incredibly important. We typically look at the building trades as that core for apprenticeships. In 2017, this committee visited Germany and Switzerland to see their different"
Hearing "Agricultural Perspectives on the Future of the USMCA"
house Agriculture Committee · Jun 10, 2026 · Transcript · 5 transcript matches
THOMPSON, GLENN "That will benefit from refinement, including improvements with enforcement. The House Agriculture Committee will be at the table to assure that the voices of our agriculture commodities are heard, building on the 18 trade agreements successfully achieved by the President's Administration in the past 18 months. This, coupled with the Ag Committee's leadership in legislating with the Farm Bill, where we doubled the market access program and the foreign market development program, among others, is good news for our farmers and our ranchers and for consumers in the end of the"
Hearing Industrial Base and Workforce Development for Skilled Trades
house Defense Subcommittee · Sep 4, 2026 · Transcript · 5 transcript matches
SPEAKER_02 "The Patriot Pipeline is a USW personnel and readiness initiative to go ahead and target specifically veterans and their families, their spouses, and identifying pathways into other careers, of which skilled trades is one, and we're partnered with them on build freedom. So it's a tremendous opportunity for us to go ahead and do more with an existing workforce that has an affinity for national"
CRS Report
Worker Rights Provisions and U.S. Trade Policy
Reports · Jul 16, 2021
Worker rights provisions are a prominent and often contentious issue in debates over U.S. trade negotiations, agreements and programs. Congress has input into and oversight over the design and...
Testimony NORCROSS, DONALD
“Workforce Rewired: Modern Apprenticeships for a Modern Economy”
house Education and Workforce Committee · Jun 24, 2026
"We understand that apprenticeships are incredibly important. We typically look at the building trades as that core for apprenticeships. In 2017, this committee visited Germany and Switzerland to see their different"
Testimony NORCROSS, DONALD
“Workforce Rewired: Modern Apprenticeships for a Modern Economy”
house Education and Workforce Committee · Jun 24, 2026
"It's what you're instructing, what you need to do at the end of the day. For the building trades, I think it has been proven not only cost effective, but over time, they have perfected this year after"
Testimony NORCROSS, DONALD
“Workforce Rewired: Modern Apprenticeships for a Modern Economy”
house Education and Workforce Committee · Jun 24, 2026
"That's incredibly important. When we start talking about retention, nobody comes close to that. Because this is one of the issues that has come up as a registered program, and I'll speak more specifically at building trades. Is a registered program so important because it's about"
Testimony NORCROSS, DONALD
“Workforce Rewired: Modern Apprenticeships for a Modern Economy”
house Education and Workforce Committee · Jun 24, 2026
"When we want federal government to pay for the apprenticeship program, is with everything changes. Within the building trades, they pay for it themselves. They don't come to government saying, please, give us money to train"
Testimony NORCROSS, DONALD
“Workforce Rewired: Modern Apprenticeships for a Modern Economy”
house Education and Workforce Committee · Jun 24, 2026
"I think they work wonderfully because you have the employer groups and the contractors working together to build this. This is why, specifically in building trades, registered programs are incredibly important because of portability. So Mr. Lead, talk to us about the registered programs, particularly in the building trades and why that is important. I just mentioned electrical, electricity is the same here as it is out west, but the"
Testimony SCOTT, ROBERT C. "BOBBY"
“Workforce Rewired: Modern Apprenticeships for a Modern Economy”
house Education and Workforce Committee · Jun 24, 2026
"So it's obviously accessible. Traditionally, apprenticeships are found in the building trades. Are there other job categories where you could expand the apprenticeship model, like"
Hearing “Career and Technical Education: Developing the Future of Main Street Success.”
house Small Business Committee · Feb 24, 2026 · Transcript · 4 transcript matches
MR. MIKE GIBSON "building and maintaining a facility, we're right now, you are working to try to attract all those companies that left this country over the years to come back here. And I know they're asking the same question. Are we capable of building and maintaining our facilities? And the key to that is technical trades. I will promise you, the return on the investment is multifold in terms of what the employer"
Hearing U.S. Economic Security and Investment Abroad: Assessing Economic Security Zones
house Oversight and Intelligence Subcommittee · Jul 14, 2026 · Transcript · 3 transcript matches
MR. ERICK BRIMEN "To deter, because often, like the current administration, might be very intent in doing the right thing, but once they're gone, the next administration might completely undo it. And this is true in D.C., as it has been true in Tegucigalpa, and I would venture to say in any of the countries that are frontier markets that we have a strategic interest in. And if I could build on that, the foreign trade agreements, the free trade agreements, they are really powerful legal tools,"
Hearing “Fueling the Golden Age: Future Resource Needs and Small Business Opportunity.”
house Rural Development, Energy, and Supply Chains Subcommittee · Sep 2, 2026 · Transcript · 3 transcript matches
SPEAKER_09 "Historically unusable, treatment technology has advanced to the point that it is now an ideal option for meeting the cooling needs of the data center industry. The other half of the equation is power generation, and these facilities use a lot of it. As part of President Trump's trade deal with Japan, NextEra Energy will build a $16 billion natural gas plant in my home county that will generate up to 5.2 gigawatts of"
CRS Report
African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA): Overview and Issues for Congress
Reports · May 3, 2023
The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is a nascent goods and services free trade zone that African Union (AU) member states created to foster greater intracontinental trade and investment...
CRS Report
Worker Rights Provisions in Free Trade Agreements (FTAs)
Resources · Oct 25, 2023
Worker rights have generally been a prominent issue in U.S. FTA negotiations. Some stakeholders believe worker rights provisions are key to protect U.S. workers from perceived unfair competition and...
CRS Report
Environmental Provisions in Free Trade Agreements (FTAs)
Resources · Sep 1, 2023
Linkages between trade and environmental protection have long been a concern to some U.S. policymakers and stakeholders. The central question is whether trade liberalization (i.e., the removal of...
Hearing "Increasing Demand and Opportunities for Homegrown Products Here and Abroad"
house Agriculture Committee · Sep 16, 2026 · Transcript · 2 transcript matches
SPEAKER_29 "Sometimes it might be the first time a certain product, a U.S.-grown cherry or blueberries, are accessing those markets, and consumers aren't sure what they are, how to eat them. And so some of those development and promotion programs, I think, are critical. So opening the door to U.S. products and then helping our industries actually walk through that door and build those trading relationships to expand market export opportunities, TASC, MAP, FMD are all critical to that. And we greatly appreciate the over-doubling of those programs in the Farm Bill. Thank you,"
Hearing Building a New Regional Security Architecture: The Next Phase of the Abraham Accords
house Middle East and North Africa Subcommittee · Jul 22, 2026 · Transcript · 2 transcript matches
KEAN, THOMAS H. "but their long-term success will ultimately depend on whether they deliver tangible economic benefits for citizens of the region and create new opportunities for cooperation. As Congress considers on how to build on the Accords, it is important to examine what role the United States can play in advancing trade, investment, connectivity, and shared prosperity among participating countries. Ambassador Friedman, as Congress considers on how to build on the Accords, it is important to examine what role the United States can play in advancing trade, investment, connectivity, and shared prosperity..."
Hearing “25 Years Later: Evolutions in Federal, State, and Local Counterterrorism Efforts Since 9/11”
house Homeland Security Committee · Sep 16, 2026 · Transcript · 2 transcript matches
SPEAKER_01 "Our surviving units and the other units brought in were tasked with finding ways to deal with that as well as searching for survivors. As the afternoon wore on, World Trade Center 7, a 47-story building just across Vesey Street, began to worry us. We ordered our members out of the building and cleared a collapse zone, and at 5.20 that afternoon, 7 World Trade"
CRS Report
Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR)
Resources · Jul 22, 2022
Overview CAFTA-DR is a free trade agreement (FTA) among the United States, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and the Dominican Republic. It eliminated on a reciprocal basis...
CRS Report
Economic Growth Approaches in U.S. Foreign Assistance
Reports · Jan 12, 2022
U.S. assistance for economic growth has declined as a share of total foreign assistance for international development over the course of the 21st century. However, several high-profile foreign aid...
Testimony SPEAKER_29
"Increasing Demand and Opportunities for Homegrown Products Here and A...
house Agriculture Committee · Sep 16, 2026
"Sometimes it might be the first time a certain product, a U.S.-grown cherry or blueberries, are accessing those markets, and consumers aren't sure what they are, how to eat them. And so some of those development and promotion programs, I think, are critical. So opening the door to U.S. products and then helping our industries actually walk through that door and build those trading relationships to expand market export opportunities, TASC, MAP, FMD are all critical to that. And we greatly..."
CRS Report
Tariffs and Federal Finances: A Thumbnail History
Posts · Jan 10, 2025
Tariffs and other customs charges were the largest source of federal revenues in the 18th and 19th centuries. Tariffs are taxes on imported goods. This Insight offers a brief history of U.S. tariff...
Testimony SPEAKER_09
"Future of United States Maritime: Review of Fiscal Year 2027 Maritime...
house Transportation and Infrastructure Committee · Jun 3, 2026
"Our commercial shipyards are in dire need of modernization in terms of both capacities and capabilities. The United States relies on global transportation networks, but we do not control these routes. We do not build the ships that carry trade. We do not build the containers the ships carry or the cranes that load and unload the ships. Fortunately, the Trump Administration and Congress are working to promote building ships domestically, training more mariners, increasing United States flag..."
Hearing "Future of United States Maritime: Review of Fiscal Year 2027 Maritime Administration and Federal Maritime Commission Budget Requests"
house Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Subcommittee · Jun 3, 2026 · Transcript
SPEAKER_09 "Our commercial shipyards are in dire need of modernization in terms of both capacities and capabilities. The United States relies on global transportation networks, but we do not control these routes. We do not build the ships that carry trade. We do not build the containers the ships carry or the cranes that load and unload the ships. Fortunately, the Trump Administration and Congress are working to promote building ships domestically, training more mariners, increasing United States flag fleet, identifying new sources of cargo, and reinvigorating the American maritime industrial base. The..."
Hearing A Review of the Office of Space Commerce’s Mission Authorization Proposal
house Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee · Jul 15, 2026 · Transcript
THE HONORABLE TAYLOR JORDAN "So in the FY27 president's budget request for the Office of Space Commerce, we do continue the work of our TRACS system. We containerize the code, and we are building internally the trade space of how that program will move forward in the future, whether that's relying on user fees or collaboration with industry to look at the process moving forward. That is also an executive order deliverable and is mentioned in the executive order for the ability for the TRACS system to utilize partnerships with industry for user fees. So I just want to be clear that the question is not should we provide..."
Hearing Hearings to examine the nominations of Brett Doyle, of Connecticut, David Foley, Jr., of Virginia, Samuel Negatu, of the District of Columbia,...
senate Finance Committee · Jun 25, 2026 · Transcript
UNKNOWN "and firms in the face of unfair trade. I understand that the decisions the ITC makes in such cases can be deeply personal, affecting the livelihoods of families and communities throughout our country. This is a significant responsibility and one I would take seriously should I be fortunate enough to be confirmed. I've worked for nearly a decade and a half as a trade negotiator in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, a position in which I training partners to raise their labor and environmental standards so that U.S. workers and firms can compete on a level playing field. And I began..."
Hearing Markup of Sixteen Bills
house Energy and Commerce Committee · Sep 16, 2026 · Transcript
SPEAKER_31 "Whether it's at a show at the Grand Ole Opry or a set at the Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion, music fans love to see their favorite artists live, and unfortunately, scammers and bots have taken unfair advantage of the online ticket marketplace, buying up inventory before any real fans get a chance to do that. My bill, the Main Event Ticketing Act, builds on the Bots Act of 2016 by directing the Federal Trade Commission to set up a public website for consumers to share their experiences. My bill also requires online ticket sellers to notify the FTC when they have experienced a successful bot..."
Hearing Hearings to examine the nominations of Joshua Harris, of Maryland, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to...
senate Foreign Relations Committee · Sep 16, 2026 · Transcript
RISCH, JAMES E. "Mr. Lord, as you know, it is a critical time for the United States to have a strong presence at our embassies in Africa. A confirmed ambassador in Benin, which inaugurated a new president in May and faces serious threats from violent extremists, will help provide much-needed stability. You have served in a variety of roles in Africa, and if confirmed, I'm glad that your expertise will remain with the Bureau. Mr. Goodman, as the nominee for ambassador to Togo, I look forward to hearing about your plans to build on our relationship with the country, particularly in the areas of trade and..."
Hearing Hearings to examine the nominations of Donald Blome, of Illinois, to be an Assistant Secretary of State (Near Eastern Affairs), Christopher...
senate Foreign Relations Committee · Jul 16, 2026 · Transcript
DANIEL PEREZ "I will bring those same principles to the embassy in Brasilia. My highest priorities, if confirmed, will be the protection of American citizens in Brazil, the advancement of our national interest in trade and investment, the disruption of trafficking and transnational crime, and the building of resilient partnerships that serve the American economy and the American worker. I will also support Brazil's democratic institutions and press for conditions that allow free and fair elections and freedom of expression, because a stable, democratic Brazil is a better partner for the United"
Hearing Member Day
house Science, Space, and Technology Committee · Mar 11, 2025 · Transcript
RILEY, JOSH "Like, seriously, guys, how stupid is it that we're going to rely on China for something as important as semiconductors? Terrible for national security to do that, but we also need this law to rebuild the middle class in America and rebuild the middle class in upstate New York. The trades unions that I represent, those are going to be great jobs building those chip fabs in Poughkeepsie and in Clay. We've got Menlo Micro is going to hire hundreds of people in Lansing with really good advanced manufacturing jobs. We've got in Rensselaer County some of the most exciting, some of the best R&D, and..."
Hearing Hearings to examine the nominations of Sarah B. Rogers, of New York, to be Chief Executive Officer of the United States Agency for Global Media,...
senate Foreign Relations Committee · Jul 30, 2026 · Transcript
JENNIFER CARROLL "Secondly, economic security and prosperity are critical to both of our countries. I will promote the American exports, market opportunities, and trade that generate commercial wins for U.S. businesses while helping Trinidad and Tobago build a resilient, diversified economy, positioning the United States as a key partner for its economic growth and competitiveness. I will advance our nation's economic strength by promoting fair trade, American"
Hearing South Asia: U.S. Foreign Policy in the Region
house South and Central Asia Subcommittee · Feb 11, 2026 · Transcript
SPEAKER_03 "Two days ago, the Trump administration signed a trade deal with Bangladesh, providing American exporters with access to Bangladesh's market of about 175 million people. But beyond trade, I would point to three broad categories of approach to strategic capacity building that the Trump administration is deploying. Defense cooperation, targeted investment, and"
Hearing Hearings to examine the President's 2026 trade policy agenda.
senate Finance Committee · Jul 22, 2026 · Transcript
CRAPO, MIKE "Today's hearing is an opportunity to take stock of where we are and where we need to go. Together, the Administration and Congress can build a durable policy and enforcement regime around a fair application of longstanding American trade goals. First, U.S. trade policy must reflect our strategic"
Hearing Hearings to examine the nominations of Jules Hurst III, of Virginia, to be Under Secretary (Comptroller), Richard O'Malley, of Wisconsin, to be a...
senate Armed Services Committee · Jul 14, 2026 · Transcript
HONORABLE JULES W. HURST III "Senator, I don't have a listing of specific training exercises. Senator, I don't have specifics, but I will say this. Whenever there's a contingency operation, because we build our budget two years in advance of getting it, we have to make trade-offs inside that budget to fund current operations. That's always been the way it is. Senator, the Comptroller doesn't approve"
Hearing Hearings to examine the nominations of Barbera Thornhill, of North Carolina, to be Director of the Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking, with...
senate Foreign Relations Committee · Jun 25, 2026 · Transcript
SPEAKER_01 "trapping victims in cohesive schemes at home and abroad. This administration took the important step of signing the Take It Down Act in May 2025 to combat online exploitation. We have sanctioned online scam operators using forced labor just to steal billions from American families. If confirmed, I will build on these efforts. Forced labor distorts markets, allows foreign actors to abuse the global trading system at the expense of American workers and business. We must use every tool to combat forced labor in global supply chains and to shed light on forced labor schemes by adversaries. The..."
Hearing Hearings to examine the nomination of Glen Smith, of Iowa, to be Under Secretary of Agriculture for Rural Development.
senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee · Nov 5, 2025 · Transcript
ERNST, JONI "So, Mr. Smith, as you know, the ag economy continues to struggle. We've got high input prices and low commodity prices. Just yesterday, CNH announced it will be closing its facility in Burlington, Iowa. And with that closure, it eliminates about 200 jobs. The plant produced heavy machinery and ag equipment, and its closure shows how low farm income ripples across our entire state. And I do thank the President and his team for delivering new trade deals and advancing strong policies to support the biofuel industry, which will help us build new markets. But with that being said, there's still..."
Hearing Hearings to examine the nominations of Michael Young, of Utah, to be Ambassador to the Republic of Serbia, Ronald Johnson, of Massachusetts, to be...
senate Foreign Relations Committee · Sep 17, 2026 · Transcript
SPEAKER_08 "responsibility and sacred trust, and have the privilege and opportunity to serve our great nation yet again. If confirmed, I will leave the team at the U.S. Embassy Belgrade to deepen our defense and security cooperation to advance U.S. interests, to expand our trade and investment relationship to increase U.S. prosperity, to foster regional stability, and to continue to build a partnership with Serbia that better promotes our interests in this strategically critical region. If confirmed, I will have no higher priority than the safety and security of Embassy Belgrade personnel and U.S...."
Hearing Member Day Hearing on Proposed Rules Changes for the 120th Congress
house Rules Committee · Sep 2, 2026 · Transcript
MIN, DAVE "My legislation, H.R. 3779, otherwise known as the Stock Act 2.0, would strengthen restrictions on individual stock trading by members of Congress. Critically, it builds on the important foundations of the original Stock Act by prohibiting members of Congress from trading individual stocks and securities, requiring members of Congress and senior congressional staff to report received benefits of value, including contracts, grants, agricultural subsidies, and the like, increasing penalties for failure to file Stock Act disclosures, and enabling increased oversight by relevant ethics agencies..."
Hearing "For the Purpose of Receiving Testimony from the Honorable Brooke L. Rollins, Secretary, U.S. Department of Agriculture"
house Agriculture Committee · Jun 4, 2026 · Transcript
ADAMS, ALMA S. "This department and the administration really needs to be accountable for soaring production costs, reduced global export demand. Markets our farmers spent decades building have been handed to countries like Brazil and Argentina and Australia while this administration picked trade fights that it had no plan to win. So can I get a specific number? Do you know how many billions of dollars in agricultural exports to"
Hearing Committee on House Administration Full Committee Markup on Various Measures
house Committee on House Administration · Jun 24, 2026 · Transcript
STEIL, BRYAN "This legislation will clarify that no member of Congress can wager on insider information they may gain through their service. In January, this committee advanced the nonpartisan Stop Insider Trading Act, which prevents members of Congress from purchasing individual stocks. Now we have an opportunity to build on that important legislation and take this next step. I urge my colleagues to support the common-sense legislation, and it's our opportunity to continue to earn back the trust of American"
Hearing Charting a New Course: Countering China's Dominance in Global Shipbuilding
house East Asia and Pacific Subcommittee · Jul 22, 2026 · Transcript
DR. MATTHEW FUNAIOLE "In a conflict, what are they able to do? And that's where I think it takes some maybe creative thinking about the restrictions of the Jones Act and what that means in terms of how in peacetime, if we do build up that capability, can we ensure that we're getting the best return on that investment for maritime trade? Yeah, for"
Hearing The Fiscal Year 2027 Department of Energy Budget.
house Energy Subcommittee · Apr 16, 2026 · Transcript
HARSHBARGER, DIANA "hub. It's east and northeast Tennessee. And honestly, let me go into the next question. Last month, the trade deal with Japan with G.E. Vernova and Hitachi, you know, when they announced plans to invest $40 billion in Tennessee and Alabama, building this SMRs, basically, that'll generate three gigawatts of power. How is the department going to ensure these SMRs are deployed quickly and affordably? So we are in close contact with the folks at"
Hearing Hearings to examine the affordability agenda.
senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee · Jun 23, 2026 · Transcript
LINDSEY JOHNSON "Thank you. Chairman Scott, Ranking Member Warren, and members of the committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify. My name is Lindsay Johnson. I'm President and CEO of Consumer Bankers Association, the nation's only trade association exclusively focused on retail lending. For as long as there's been an American economy, banks have helped families and small businesses build within it. That work often begins with something simple, safeguarding a paycheck, and it grows from there. Banks take deposits and put them into working communities, helping consumers establish credit, finance an..."
Hearing Hearings to examine the American Entrepreneurship for 250 Years: Driving Innovation, Growth, and Opportunity.
senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee · Apr 29, 2026 · Transcript
SPEAKER_06 "It is also important to our company that our team members feel a responsibility to give back to the community that supports us by buying and servicing their cars at Grouponi. When team members ask if they can help to build a kit car with a local high school or host an event in our community space or teach a young person about their trade, I see this vision come to life. I'm proud that some of our team members have taken the brave step to have businesses of their own in addition to working their day jobs alongside"
Hearing Legislative Proposals to Strengthen Consumer Protection in a Changing Marketplace.
house Commerce, Manufacturing, and Trade Subcommittee · Jul 22, 2026 · Transcript
DANIEL CASTRO "One thing we're seeing is that some of these Chinese companies are trying to move up the value chain. So not only they're starting with producing the counterfeit goods, trading on the American brands, getting trust, but they're then, you know, improving and eventually trying to sell their own products that are basically replicating and stealing and building off of the IP of these American companies. And so they're not just hurting them in the short term. They're really trying to hurt these businesses in the long term. I think the American consumers need to know what they can trust and what..."
Hearing Hearings to examine empowering Main Street by unlocking access to capital.
senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee · Aug 6, 2026 · Transcript
MR. CANTRELL DUMAS "You cannot have capital formation without investor confidence. So if you have insider trading, you have ordinary investors who believe that they're not in the same level playing field as a sophisticated investor. So you have to have investor confidence in order to build capital formation. This is for questions, Senator. I think when any time you're talking about broadened access or providing information or providing access to all, I think the foundational question should be that we should not"
CRS Report
U.S. Trade Policy: Trade Functions of Key Federal Agencies
Resources · Mar 25, 2025
U.S. trade policy lies at a nexus of foreign and domestic policy. It comprises issues that shape U.S. participation in the global economy and relations with trading partners. It also affects the U.S....
CRS Report
Labor Enforcement Issues in U.S. FTAs
Resources · Mar 23, 2023
Background Labor provisions in free trade agreements (FTAs)—both in the United States and globally—were first included in the North American Agreement on Labor Cooperation (NAALC), a side agreement...
Testimony THE HONORABLE TAYLOR JORDAN
A Review of the Office of Space Commerce’s Mission Authorization Propo...
house Science, Space, and Technology Committee · Jul 15, 2026
"So in the FY27 president's budget request for the Office of Space Commerce, we do continue the work of our TRACS system. We containerize the code, and we are building internally the trade space of how that program will move forward in the future, whether that's relying on user fees or collaboration with industry to look at the process moving forward. That is also an executive order deliverable and is mentioned in the executive order for the ability for the TRACS system to utilize partnerships..."
CRS Report
U.S.-Brazil Trade Relations
Resources · Oct 23, 2020
Overview The United States and Brazil have enjoyed a strong economic relationship for many years. In 2019, Brazil ranked second among the United States’ Latin American trading partners in goods and...
CRS Report
Supreme Court Considers Preemption Under the National Labor Relations Act
Posts · Feb 7, 2023
On January 10, 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral argument in Glacier Northwest v. International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local Union No. 174, a case involving the National Labor Relations Act...
CRS Report
Private-Sector Pensions in 2019: Number of Plans, Participants, and Amount of Assets
Resources · Dec 27, 2021
Introduction A pension is a voluntary benefit offered by employers to assist employees in providing for their financial security in retirement. Many employers in both the public sector (federal,...
CRS Report
U.S.-Kenya Trade Negotiations
Resources · May 22, 2024
The United States and Kenya began free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations in 2020 under then-President Donald Trump and then-President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya. The Joseph R. Biden Administration did...
CRS Report
Direct Listings, an Alternative to Stock-based Initial Public Offerings (IPOs)
Resources · Sep 21, 2020
Introduction An initial public offering, or IPO, refers to the initial time that a private company offers its shares of stock to the general public to raise capital. After an IPO, the company’s...
CRS Report
Section 301 Investigation—Forced Labor and Import Policies of U.S. Trading Partners
Legal Sidebar · Mar 24, 2026
In March 2026, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) initiated an investigation, under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. §§2411–2420), into the “acts, policies, and...
Testimony THOMPSON, GLENN
"Agricultural Perspectives on the Future of the USMCA"
house Agriculture Committee · Jun 10, 2026
"That will benefit from refinement, including improvements with enforcement. The House Agriculture Committee will be at the table to assure that the voices of our agriculture commodities are heard, building on the 18 trade agreements successfully achieved by the President's Administration in the past 18 months. This, coupled with the Ag Committee's leadership in legislating with the Farm Bill, where we doubled the market access program and the foreign market development program, among others, is..."
Testimony SALINAS, ANDREA
"Increasing Demand and Opportunities for Homegrown Products Here and A...
house Agriculture Committee · Sep 16, 2026
"And last week, I held a trade roundtable with lots of organizations from around Oregon, but many producers, and I heard the same recurring theme. Trade relationships take decades to build, and stable market access is not easy to come by. A grower builds these relationships over years to earn a buyer's trust, and some of that work was funded by these very programs. And these relationships have been wiped out in a year by this administration that is presumably trying to"
Testimony MR. ERICK BRIMEN
U.S. Economic Security and Investment Abroad: Assessing Economic Secur...
house Foreign Affairs Committee · Jul 14, 2026
"To deter, because often, like the current administration, might be very intent in doing the right thing, but once they're gone, the next administration might completely undo it. And this is true in D.C., as it has been true in Tegucigalpa, and I would venture to say in any of the countries that are frontier markets that we have a strategic interest in. And if I could build on that, the foreign trade agreements, the free trade agreements, they are really powerful legal tools,"
Testimony UNKNOWN
Hearings to examine the nominations of Brett Doyle, of Connecticut, Da...
senate Finance Committee · Jun 25, 2026
"and firms in the face of unfair trade. I understand that the decisions the ITC makes in such cases can be deeply personal, affecting the livelihoods of families and communities throughout our country. This is a significant responsibility and one I would take seriously should I be fortunate enough to be confirmed. I've worked for nearly a decade and a half as a trade negotiator in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, a position in which I training partners to raise their labor and..."
Testimony KEAN, THOMAS H.
Building a New Regional Security Architecture: The Next Phase of the A...
house Foreign Affairs Committee · Jul 22, 2026
"but their long-term success will ultimately depend on whether they deliver tangible economic benefits for citizens of the region and create new opportunities for cooperation. As Congress considers on how to build on the Accords, it is important to examine what role the United States can play in advancing trade, investment, connectivity, and shared prosperity among participating countries. Ambassador Friedman, as Congress considers on how to build on the Accords, it is important to examine what..."
Testimony SPEAKER_01
“25 Years Later: Evolutions in Federal, State, and Local Counterterror...
house Homeland Security Committee · Sep 16, 2026
"Our surviving units and the other units brought in were tasked with finding ways to deal with that as well as searching for survivors. As the afternoon wore on, World Trade Center 7, a 47-story building just across Vesey Street, began to worry us. We ordered our members out of the building and cleared a collapse zone, and at 5.20 that afternoon, 7 World Trade"
Testimony MR. CLARK PACKARD
U.S. Economic Security and Investment Abroad: Assessing Economic Secur...
house Foreign Affairs Committee · Jul 14, 2026
"Ottawa is now openly hedging against the United States, deepening ties with the European Union and moving to strike a trade deal with China. When a country that helps arm us starts looking for the exits, we have miscalculated badly. Likewise, for all its flaws, the Trans-Pacific Partnership would have cemented an American-led trading bloc to offset China's gravitational pull in the region. Instead, we abandon this potentially game-changing tool. Binding, enforceable, and crucially legally..."
Testimony SPEAKER_09
“Fueling the Golden Age: Future Resource Needs and Small Business Oppo...
house Small Business Committee · Sep 2, 2026
"Historically unusable, treatment technology has advanced to the point that it is now an ideal option for meeting the cooling needs of the data center industry. The other half of the equation is power generation, and these facilities use a lot of it. As part of President Trump's trade deal with Japan, NextEra Energy will build a $16 billion natural gas plant in my home county that will generate up to 5.2 gigawatts of"
Testimony SPEAKER_02
Industrial Base and Workforce Development for Skilled Trades
house Appropriations Committee · Sep 4, 2026
"The Patriot Pipeline is a USW personnel and readiness initiative to go ahead and target specifically veterans and their families, their spouses, and identifying pathways into other careers, of which skilled trades is one, and we're partnered with them on build freedom. So it's a tremendous opportunity for us to go ahead and do more with an existing workforce that has an affinity for national"
Testimony MS. JAIME ANGELL
“Workforce Rewired: Modern Apprenticeships for a Modern Economy”
house Education and Workforce Committee · Jun 24, 2026
"Our apprentices are paid day one, they receive benefits day one, and they're given tools early in the program, and they graduate debt-free. The model works, but one company or one industry cannot solve this alone. By granting flexibility to program sponsors, providing financial incentives, and investing in the pipeline, we can build a stronger workforce across not just collision, but all skilled trades. Thank you again for your time and your commitment to strengthening our workforce"
Testimony SPEAKER_31
Markup of Sixteen Bills
house Energy and Commerce Committee · Sep 16, 2026
"Whether it's at a show at the Grand Ole Opry or a set at the Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion, music fans love to see their favorite artists live, and unfortunately, scammers and bots have taken unfair advantage of the online ticket marketplace, buying up inventory before any real fans get a chance to do that. My bill, the Main Event Ticketing Act, builds on the Bots Act of 2016 by directing the Federal Trade Commission to set up a public website for consumers to share their experiences. My..."
Testimony MRS. JAMIE BEYER
"Agricultural Perspectives on the Future of the USMCA"
house Agriculture Committee · Jun 10, 2026
"USMCA upgraded NAFTA in several important ways, particularly through the inclusion of a strengthened chapter on sanitary and phytosanitary measures, which builds on the rules that already apply as part of the World Trade Organization's SPS agreement. The revised agreement also included a novel section on agricultural biotechnology that preempted disruptive trade barriers stemming from the use of genetically engineered traits. Both additions modernized the agreement for U.S."
Testimony RISCH, JAMES E.
Hearings to examine the nominations of Joshua Harris, of Maryland, a C...
senate Foreign Relations Committee · Sep 16, 2026
"Mr. Lord, as you know, it is a critical time for the United States to have a strong presence at our embassies in Africa. A confirmed ambassador in Benin, which inaugurated a new president in May and faces serious threats from violent extremists, will help provide much-needed stability. You have served in a variety of roles in Africa, and if confirmed, I'm glad that your expertise will remain with the Bureau. Mr. Goodman, as the nominee for ambassador to Togo, I look forward to hearing about..."
Testimony DANIEL PEREZ
Hearings to examine the nominations of Donald Blome, of Illinois, to b...
senate Foreign Relations Committee · Jul 16, 2026
"I will bring those same principles to the embassy in Brasilia. My highest priorities, if confirmed, will be the protection of American citizens in Brazil, the advancement of our national interest in trade and investment, the disruption of trafficking and transnational crime, and the building of resilient partnerships that serve the American economy and the American worker. I will also support Brazil's democratic institutions and press for conditions that allow free and fair elections and..."
Testimony MR. MIKE GIBSON
“Career and Technical Education: Developing the Future of Main Street ...
house Small Business Committee · Feb 24, 2026
"building and maintaining a facility, we're right now, you are working to try to attract all those companies that left this country over the years to come back here. And I know they're asking the same question. Are we capable of building and maintaining our facilities? And the key to that is technical trades. I will promise you, the return on the investment is multifold in terms of what the employer"
Testimony RILEY, JOSH
Member Day
house Science, Space, and Technology Committee · Mar 11, 2025
"Like, seriously, guys, how stupid is it that we're going to rely on China for something as important as semiconductors? Terrible for national security to do that, but we also need this law to rebuild the middle class in America and rebuild the middle class in upstate New York. The trades unions that I represent, those are going to be great jobs building those chip fabs in Poughkeepsie and in Clay. We've got Menlo Micro is going to hire hundreds of people in Lansing with really good advanced..."
Testimony BROWN, SHONTEL M.
"Agricultural Perspectives on the Future of the USMCA"
house Agriculture Committee · Jun 10, 2026
"Briefly, how should Congress think about USMCA, not just as a trade agreement, but as part of a broader economic and national security strategy to reduce dependence on China, protect farmers and producers, rebuild domestic capacity, and ensure communities like Cleveland are not left behind again? Thank you so much. As we review the USMCA, we should strive for trade policies that maintain stable markets for farmers and producers, strengthen labor enforcement, build resilient supply chains, and..."
Testimony SPEAKER_09
“Fueling the Golden Age: Future Resource Needs and Small Business Oppo...
house Small Business Committee · Sep 2, 2026
"Chairman, I believe I can only answer that as far as it pertains to my district and my experience. I don't believe I've seen that. As we begin to build the NextEra energy plant that's a result of President Trump's trade deal with Japan, I can tell you that I've had just about every contractor in the area reach out for help getting in"
Testimony SPEAKER_02
Industrial Base and Workforce Development for Skilled Trades
house Appropriations Committee · Sep 4, 2026
"This national awareness will drive individuals to our new buildfreedom.us website, a one-stop shop where their interests can be converted into scholarships, training, credentials, and job opportunities. I was proud to launch Build Freedom with Mike Rowe and the Mike Rowe Works Foundation with an initial $10 million grant that will fund more than 9,000 scholarships. Our goal with Build Freedom is to send a clear, compelling message to the American public. There are hundreds of thousands of..."
Testimony JENNIFER CARROLL
Hearings to examine the nominations of Sarah B. Rogers, of New York, t...
senate Foreign Relations Committee · Jul 30, 2026
"Secondly, economic security and prosperity are critical to both of our countries. I will promote the American exports, market opportunities, and trade that generate commercial wins for U.S. businesses while helping Trinidad and Tobago build a resilient, diversified economy, positioning the United States as a key partner for its economic growth and competitiveness. I will advance our nation's economic strength by promoting fair trade, American"
Testimony SPEAKER_03
South Asia: U.S. Foreign Policy in the Region
house Foreign Affairs Committee · Feb 11, 2026
"Two days ago, the Trump administration signed a trade deal with Bangladesh, providing American exporters with access to Bangladesh's market of about 175 million people. But beyond trade, I would point to three broad categories of approach to strategic capacity building that the Trump administration is deploying. Defense cooperation, targeted investment, and"
Testimony CRAPO, MIKE
Hearings to examine the President's 2026 trade policy agenda.
senate Finance Committee · Jul 22, 2026
"Today's hearing is an opportunity to take stock of where we are and where we need to go. Together, the Administration and Congress can build a durable policy and enforcement regime around a fair application of longstanding American trade goals. First, U.S. trade policy must reflect our strategic"
Testimony HAYES, JAHANA
"Agricultural Perspectives on the Future of the USMCA"
house Agriculture Committee · Jun 10, 2026
"But the on-and-off tariff approach that President Trump has taken has led to price fluctuations and unpredictable market conditions. At a time when household budgets are tight, the USMCA is especially crucial as it helps support affordability by keeping North American trade predictable and stable for consumers as well as businesses. My question is for Mr. Harrington. You mentioned that the U.S. Chamber of Commerce supports trade policies to make the United States the best place in the world to..."
Testimony HONORABLE JULES W. HURST III
Hearings to examine the nominations of Jules Hurst III, of Virginia, t...
senate Armed Services Committee · Jul 14, 2026
"Senator, I don't have a listing of specific training exercises. Senator, I don't have specifics, but I will say this. Whenever there's a contingency operation, because we build our budget two years in advance of getting it, we have to make trade-offs inside that budget to fund current operations. That's always been the way it is. Senator, the Comptroller doesn't approve"
Testimony SPEAKER_01
Hearings to examine the nominations of Barbera Thornhill, of North Car...
senate Foreign Relations Committee · Jun 25, 2026
"trapping victims in cohesive schemes at home and abroad. This administration took the important step of signing the Take It Down Act in May 2025 to combat online exploitation. We have sanctioned online scam operators using forced labor just to steal billions from American families. If confirmed, I will build on these efforts. Forced labor distorts markets, allows foreign actors to abuse the global trading system at the expense of American workers and business. We must use every tool to combat..."
Testimony ERNST, JONI
Hearings to examine the nomination of Glen Smith, of Iowa, to be Under...
senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee · Nov 5, 2025
"So, Mr. Smith, as you know, the ag economy continues to struggle. We've got high input prices and low commodity prices. Just yesterday, CNH announced it will be closing its facility in Burlington, Iowa. And with that closure, it eliminates about 200 jobs. The plant produced heavy machinery and ag equipment, and its closure shows how low farm income ripples across our entire state. And I do thank the President and his team for delivering new trade deals and advancing strong policies to support..."
Testimony SPEAKER_08
Hearings to examine the nominations of Michael Young, of Utah, to be A...
senate Foreign Relations Committee · Sep 17, 2026
"responsibility and sacred trust, and have the privilege and opportunity to serve our great nation yet again. If confirmed, I will leave the team at the U.S. Embassy Belgrade to deepen our defense and security cooperation to advance U.S. interests, to expand our trade and investment relationship to increase U.S. prosperity, to foster regional stability, and to continue to build a partnership with Serbia that better promotes our interests in this strategically critical region. If confirmed, I..."
Testimony MIN, DAVE
Member Day Hearing on Proposed Rules Changes for the 120th Congress
house Rules Committee · Sep 2, 2026
"My legislation, H.R. 3779, otherwise known as the Stock Act 2.0, would strengthen restrictions on individual stock trading by members of Congress. Critically, it builds on the important foundations of the original Stock Act by prohibiting members of Congress from trading individual stocks and securities, requiring members of Congress and senior congressional staff to report received benefits of value, including contracts, grants, agricultural subsidies, and the like, increasing penalties for..."
Testimony ADAMS, ALMA S.
"For the Purpose of Receiving Testimony from the Honorable Brooke L. R...
house Agriculture Committee · Jun 4, 2026
"This department and the administration really needs to be accountable for soaring production costs, reduced global export demand. Markets our farmers spent decades building have been handed to countries like Brazil and Argentina and Australia while this administration picked trade fights that it had no plan to win. So can I get a specific number? Do you know how many billions of dollars in agricultural exports to"
Testimony STEIL, BRYAN
Committee on House Administration Full Committee Markup on Various Mea...
house Committee on House Administration · Jun 24, 2026
"This legislation will clarify that no member of Congress can wager on insider information they may gain through their service. In January, this committee advanced the nonpartisan Stop Insider Trading Act, which prevents members of Congress from purchasing individual stocks. Now we have an opportunity to build on that important legislation and take this next step. I urge my colleagues to support the common-sense legislation, and it's our opportunity to continue to earn back the trust of American..."
Testimony SPEAKER_02
Industrial Base and Workforce Development for Skilled Trades
house Appropriations Committee · Sep 4, 2026
"The department is taking aggressive action across our workforce portfolios. These programs range across all 50 states and down to the K-12 level, where last year we reached over 800,000 students wondering about what paths to take after graduation. In fiscal year 2026 alone, my office invested $340 million into workforce programs. Our training programs produced over 20,000 skilled tradespeople and technical workers for the DIB in the past year. To highlight a few examples, the New England..."
Testimony SPEAKER_02
Industrial Base and Workforce Development for Skilled Trades
house Appropriations Committee · Sep 4, 2026
"Jenny was the first person in her family to go to college, that maybe it's Billy's the first kid in his family to return to the trades. We've gotta start thinking differently about that communications model. That's at the heart of what Build Freedom is trying to do from a messaging standpoint and why it's so critical that we partner with Mike Rowe who brings arguably the number one brand and sort of messaging and storytelling around this challenge to the country. Of rare earths, there are..."
Testimony CRAIG, ANGIE
"Agricultural Perspectives on the Future of the USMCA"
house Agriculture Committee · Jun 10, 2026
"exported over $2 billion worth of agriculture products to Mexico and Canada. Our top ag exports are corn, grain, and oilseed milling products and soybeans. Minnesota exported $51 million in eggs to Canada and $44 million worth of sugar to Mexico. In total, agricultural exports to Mexico and Canada support nearly 10,000 jobs in Minnesota. That's 10,000 people in Minnesota able to keep food on their table, raise a family, and put a roof over their head because of North American trade. That's..."
Testimony DR. MATTHEW FUNAIOLE
Charting a New Course: Countering China's Dominance in Global Shipbuil...
house Foreign Affairs Committee · Jul 22, 2026
"In a conflict, what are they able to do? And that's where I think it takes some maybe creative thinking about the restrictions of the Jones Act and what that means in terms of how in peacetime, if we do build up that capability, can we ensure that we're getting the best return on that investment for maritime trade? Yeah, for"
Testimony SPEAKER_02
“Fueling the Golden Age: Future Resource Needs and Small Business Oppo...
house Small Business Committee · Sep 2, 2026
"time. So I think that the impacts on the disruptions to fuel are likely to persist for some time even after the war may end. Right. As much domestic fuel as we produce, it's still traded on a global market, and so disruptions overseas affect prices here. That's why over time, it's important to be building an economy that doesn't depend on fossil fuels so extensively. Electric vehicles can reduce demand. As I mentioned in my testimony, the repeal of the incentives that made it more affordable..."
Testimony OLSZEWSKI, JOHNNY
“Career and Technical Education: Developing the Future of Main Street ...
house Small Business Committee · Feb 24, 2026
"Back home in my district, Reisterstown Main Street is home to the nonprofit Kavanaugh House, which hosts a partnering apprenticeship program for upholstery and sewing that matches students with workrooms and experienced trade people at industry-leading businesses. These partnerships allow students to refine their skills, gain invaluable hands-on experience, and build confidence in professional settings. Unfortunately, as we know, not every small business can provide this type of paid service to..."
Testimony HARSHBARGER, DIANA
The Fiscal Year 2027 Department of Energy Budget.
house Energy and Commerce Committee · Apr 16, 2026
"hub. It's east and northeast Tennessee. And honestly, let me go into the next question. Last month, the trade deal with Japan with G.E. Vernova and Hitachi, you know, when they announced plans to invest $40 billion in Tennessee and Alabama, building this SMRs, basically, that'll generate three gigawatts of power. How is the department going to ensure these SMRs are deployed quickly and affordably? So we are in close contact with the folks at"
Testimony MR. CLARK PACKARD
U.S. Economic Security and Investment Abroad: Assessing Economic Secur...
house Foreign Affairs Committee · Jul 14, 2026
"Yeah, just real, real quick. I mean, the Trump administration first term opened up FTA negotiations with Kenya and the Biden administration backed away from that. That would be that would be a tremendous first step. The US is not offering any country in in Africa, any kind of binding deal like an FTA. And again, Ambassador Lighthizer understood that. And I think, you know, it sets a precedent. And then you can kind of build from there. But the US has to get off the sidelines. It's been 14 years..."
Testimony LINDSEY JOHNSON
Hearings to examine the affordability agenda.
senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee · Jun 23, 2026
"Thank you. Chairman Scott, Ranking Member Warren, and members of the committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify. My name is Lindsay Johnson. I'm President and CEO of Consumer Bankers Association, the nation's only trade association exclusively focused on retail lending. For as long as there's been an American economy, banks have helped families and small businesses build within it. That work often begins with something simple, safeguarding a paycheck, and it grows from there. Banks..."
Testimony SPEAKER_06
Hearings to examine the American Entrepreneurship for 250 Years: Drivi...
senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee · Apr 29, 2026
"It is also important to our company that our team members feel a responsibility to give back to the community that supports us by buying and servicing their cars at Grouponi. When team members ask if they can help to build a kit car with a local high school or host an event in our community space or teach a young person about their trade, I see this vision come to life. I'm proud that some of our team members have taken the brave step to have businesses of their own in addition to working their..."
Testimony DANIEL CASTRO
Legislative Proposals to Strengthen Consumer Protection in a Changing ...
house Energy and Commerce Committee · Jul 22, 2026
"One thing we're seeing is that some of these Chinese companies are trying to move up the value chain. So not only they're starting with producing the counterfeit goods, trading on the American brands, getting trust, but they're then, you know, improving and eventually trying to sell their own products that are basically replicating and stealing and building off of the IP of these American companies. And so they're not just hurting them in the short term. They're really trying to hurt these..."
Testimony MR. CANTRELL DUMAS
Hearings to examine empowering Main Street by unlocking access to capi...
senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee · Aug 6, 2026
"You cannot have capital formation without investor confidence. So if you have insider trading, you have ordinary investors who believe that they're not in the same level playing field as a sophisticated investor. So you have to have investor confidence in order to build capital formation. This is for questions, Senator. I think when any time you're talking about broadened access or providing information or providing access to all, I think the foundational question should be that we should not..."
Testimony LAWLER, MICHAEL
Building a New Regional Security Architecture: The Next Phase of the A...
house Foreign Affairs Committee · Jul 22, 2026
"We are looking ahead. How we can deepen security cooperation, how we can accelerate trade and investment, how we can expand cooperation on artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, energy, infrastructure, and emerging technologies. What role should I look forward to your testimony as we examine how the United States can build one of the most consequential diplomatic achievements in the modern Middle East? With that, I now recognize our ranking member for his opening"
Testimony MR. MIKE GIBSON
“Career and Technical Education: Developing the Future of Main Street ...
house Small Business Committee · Feb 24, 2026
"Thank you, Mr. Chair. One thing I'll build on with my comfrey, we did a presentation last fall amongst Western Kansas economic developers and after the presentation, a mayor of a little town of 500 came up to me and said, Mike, y'all keep focusing on technical trades. He said, we had a water main break in our city six months"
Testimony MR. ZACH BOREN
“Career and Technical Education: Developing the Future of Main Street ...
house Small Business Committee · Feb 24, 2026
"education because that's what apprenticeships are. Apprenticeships are the oldest form of work-based learning, and CTE is where that journey begins, building real hands-on skills. And apprenticeships are where those skills turn into paid jobs, credentials, and careers. Together, they form this seamless pathway from school to work. I'm also the proud son of an apprenticeship graduate myself. My dad completed a meter technician apprenticeship in Indiana. His apprenticeship didn't just land him a..."
Testimony SPEAKER_06
Industrial Base and Workforce Development for Skilled Trades
house Appropriations Committee · Sep 4, 2026
"15 and 20 credit hours. And approximately, we have about three hours of lab for every hour of lecture. So our faculty are with our students a great deal within the space. What a lot of our, particularly our trades experts will do, they will be teaching full-time during the year, but they may be providing consultation with other companies or during the summers or during the break areas of spending a lot of time working closely in industry of balancing to stay current within their industry space,..."