Welcome

Welcome to the USITC’s MTB Information page.  The American Manufacturing Competitiveness Act of 2016 (AMCA) directs the USITC to establish a process for the submission and consideration of petitions for duty suspensions and reductions.  This is the location on the USITC web site where you can find news about the USITC’s MTB process as it develops and solidifies.  We will post all key documents here as they are issued, along with informational articles, tips for filing and commenting on MTB petitions, and other useful materials.

The USITC is building a web-based MTB portal to be used for filing and commenting on MTB petitions.  When the petition process launches on October 14, the MTB portal will become the main MTB page.

We’ve established a dedicated email address for MTB-related questions.  The link can be found in the Contacts box at the right.  We welcome your feedback!

The Commission has named Jennifer Rohrbach as the agency’s MTB Program Manager.  To kick things off, Jen answers 5 key MTB questions below.

      What is a Miscellaneous Tariff Bill (MTB)?

An MTB is a measure that would, if enacted by Congress, create temporary provisions in HTS chapter 99 in order to provide duty suspensions or duty reductions for specific classes of imported products.

      How is the process, as provided in the AMCA, different from earlier practice?

In the past, U.S. importers would often request that Members of Congress introduce bills seeking to temporarily suspend or reduce tariffs on certain imports.  The Commission would review and produce reports for Congress on each bill, and the House Ways and Means and Senate Finance Committees would then combine the individual bills in a single MTB for Congressional consideration.

Under the AMCA, likely beneficiaries must now file a petition directly with the Commission.  The Commission will publish and request public comment on the petitions received and issue preliminary and final reports recommending certain petitions for inclusion in an MTB for Congressional consideration.

      Where do I submit a petition?

The Commission is developing a web portal that, once it is made available, will be accessible from the Commission’s website (www.usitc.gov).  Petitioners must use this web portal to submit a petition.  Paper submissions will not be accepted.

      When will the process get underway?

The Commission expects to publish a Federal Register notice requesting petition submission and open the web portal on October 14, 2016.  Petitioners will have 60 days, beginning on the date the Federal Register notice is published, to submit their petitions.

      Who can I contact about this new process?

At this time, please direct your inquiries MTBInfo@usitc.gov.  E-mail is the best way to communicate your questions and feedback.   Commission staff will respond in a timely fashion.  Once the petition submission window opens, we will provide additional methods of contact.  On this and all issues related to the new MTB process, keep an eye on the Commission’s website for further details and updates as they become available.