In this episode of Talking with One Voice, hosts Paul Nathanson, Caitlin Sickles, and Omar Nashashibi explain the latest changes to the steel/aluminum/copper Section 232 tariffs, new 301 tariffs, prospects for USMCA’s survival and other trade issues. They also dive into how internal divisions, primary losses, and election pressures are creating challenges to Senate and House leaders in passing legislation in the weeks left in the Congressional session.

Changes to 232 Tariffs, More Trade Uncertainty and Congressional To Do List

Talking with One Voice

# Full Transcript

**Podcast:** Talking with One Voice

## Transcript

Hello and welcome to the Talking with One Voice podcast. This podcast is a production of the National Tooling and Machining Association and the Precision Metal Forming Association. I'm Caitlin Sickles with the Policy Resolution Group at Bracewell. And joining me on this episode is Paul Nathanson, also here at Bracewell. Hey, Paul. Hey, Caitlin. And Omar Nashashibi with Inside Beltway. Good morning, Omar. Hi, everybody.

We are recording on June 15th, where in Washington, it's about a billion degrees. There is a UFC ring on the lawn of the White House and the reflecting pool is blue. So those are the updates. And scaffolding in front of the Kennedy Center. Yeah, it's all going great. Something's going on there. Some kind of remodeling. I don't know what's going on.

Yeah. Yes. So that's great. President Trump celebrated his 80th birthday over the weekend with the aforementioned UFC fight on the grounds of the White House. Well, it was also Flag Day. Note all the political, you know, podcasts say they did it on his birthday and it was Flag Day. We mentioned that the president was here this weekend, but he is headed out of town for some key diplomatic meetings.

But before we get to that, let's talk about what is happening here in D.C., aside from all of the fanfare up on Capitol Hill and in Congress. Omar, let me turn it to you. It's been a couple of weeks since we last recorded. And let me ask you to give folks an update on what is happening in Congress. Sure. In the House and the Senate, they did finally get President Trump's funding bill for CBP and ICE.

That was known as Reconciliation 2.0. There were a lot of hiccups on it, a lot of fits and starts, especially with last minute additions that the White House tried to attach to it. That just ultimately did not have the votes to move through. So it ultimately became what we would consider in this town a clean bill where they did not have a lot of writers that were attached to it, which in many ways leaves a lot of the Republicans, especially those conservatives one, wanting for more.

They were promised by House leadership last year when they went along with one big, beautiful bill that Republicans have rebranded as the, can't remember, something about working families. That's their messages that's in there. And in that effort now that there's a lot of talk about a Reconciliation 3.0, that would be another measure that would bypass the normal process in the United States Senate and would just need a single party only.

Democrats did on Obamacare, Republicans have done it on taxes, Biden did it on Inflation Reduction Act. So it's becoming a common practice when you just want to ignore the other party. But that brings you back to the fight within the Republicans. And it doesn't seem from what I'm hearing that they can get to Reconciliation 3.0 that would encompass many of those conservatives priorities that would clearly cause ...

Changes to 232 Tariffs, More Trade Uncertainty and Congressional To Do List

Transcript

Built for investment professionals

Every day you wait, your competitors are finding
edge in conversations you're not hearing.

Changes to 232 Tariffs, More Trade Uncertainty and Congressional To Do List

Transcript

Built for investment professionals

Every day you wait, your competitors are findingedge in conversations you're not hearing.

Every day you wait, your competitors are finding
edge in conversations you're not hearing.