Watchdogs Want More Tariff Details

(Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington)

Despite new disclosure rules that require more specifics from lobbyists who are pushing for tariff measures, watchdog groups complain that it is still too hard for the public to determine which companies are seeking these lucrative trade breaks.

The Secretary of the Senate and Clerk of the House recently announced changes to the Lobbying Disclosure Act that will require companies or firms to list tariffs rather than more general tax or trade categories when filling out the quarterly disclosure forms.

The increased transparency comes as a key Congressional committee gears up to consider a miscellaneous tariff suspension measure that would provide relief to certain industries that import products into the United States. But critics say that even with the increased reporting, it will still be challenging for those not schooled in the nuances of legislative language to easily identify the industries that will benefit from tariff legislation.

Bill Allison, a senior fellow at the Sunlight Foundation, said lawmakers still should be required to include in the legislation more specifics about who the beneficiaries are. “You are not going to have a simple chart with the name of the sponsor, the beneficiary and whether or not the beneficiary lobbied. You are still going to have to go to two or three places to gather all that information,” he said. Read more here.