Grassley Says 'Nothing Conclusive' on MTB, GSP in Senate Finance Discussions

Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, said that Senate Finance Committee members have been seeking a path to renew the Generalized System of Preferences benefits program and the Miscellaneous Tariff Bill, but have not been able to yet. “There was some talk a week ago about some sort of a deal that might include some extension of that, but there was nothing conclusive on it,” he said. He didn't specify whether he was speaking about MTB, GSP or both, and a trade staffer for the committee and one of his communication staffers did not respond to follow-up questions April 20.

Grassley said now that 100 days have passed in the new administration, he's going to start asking the U.S. trade representative when she will turn her attention to a free trade agreement with the United Kingdom, or Japan, and when she might start talks with China.