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Recent trade developments highlight multiple opportunities for stakeholder engagement, alongside continued legislative and diplomatic efforts to shape U.S. tariff policy and trade agreements.

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Public input windows open across major trade actions: USTR and the Department of Commerce are accepting comments on extending Section 301 tariff exclusions on China, adding new steel and aluminum derivatives under Section 232, and preparing for the upcoming USMCA trilateral review.

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Congress reinforces tariff authority: The House moved to block legislative challenges to President Trump’s emergency tariffs through March 2026, signaling continued congressional support for the administration’s tariff strategy.

Key trade negotiations continue: U.S.–China talks are set to resume ahead of a November tariff truce deadline, while the U.S.–Japan trade agreement takes effect with a 15% baseline tariff and significant investment and market‑access commitments.

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Section 301 Tariff Extension Submission Window

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) is seeking public comment on whether any of the 178 current product exclusions from Section 301 tariffs on China should be extended beyond November 29, 2025. Section 301 tariffs were first imposed on Chinese imports in 2018 during the first Trump Administration and have remained in effect through the Biden and second Trump Administrations.

The comment period will run from&nbsp;September 16, 2025, at 12:01 AM through&nbsp;October 16, 2025, at 11:59 PM. USTR will evaluate each exclusion individually, considering factors such as the availability of alternative sourcing outside China, efforts to shift to U.S. or third-country suppliers, the time needed for such transitions, and whether further extensions align with Trump Administration priorities and U.S. economic interests. See the Federal Register notice&nbsp;<a href="https://rnn4sp8ab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001TdOffBn2W1mqxx8Duaq9VIPSgNKvPVlOSEQ1rAQ-HpfPIRnX4_N8o5BKDg89tF2CL5Z4ag9WyojzgTi8CaGBfVVyLptiIYneaxr_G8DqI4fOclXKEQ1W2vFRUXy7BbTCPyiRuKDOujrvKdoV0a4SnSmBs7VV7hDtTd8I-Fq4WQQDhNSlewGcya-jm__2ZW0EETs_5R7yB7HKk-df-JUN-WMiY-8rPfm76mUEpVBpZN0gSmXT3d-EH5XNdTgvThDqDfhQwKfrsR90UF5eOgS8vF25E7qRG-M1O8iuLf2WLujSncBVhdCSivMygKAov3JvWf58TQwK1S_VQgB1BpMzvpiTzFzxVP7v&amp;c=jk_hxhxLElrA3EQ28wKbu_dQBFrkHBMN-Q4mMzEqohecX_x9qULE8A==&amp;ch=dGWC5NYzlaWuEJfuRkBCRsA5R82hOD2FpY407bcU9LijBy6FYTs0fg==" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>.

The U.S. Department of Commerce, through the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), established a process for including additional steel and aluminum derivatives that will be subject to Section 232 tariffs. BIS has opened three recurring two-week windows each year for submissions for derivative products to be added to the tariff schedule. The second of the three windows is open now.

The September 2025 window opened on September 15 and will close at 11:59 PM on September 29. Accepted inclusion requests will be posted for a two-week public comment period for stakeholders to submit their support or opposition to the proposed inclusions. For further details, please see the September window Federal Register&nbsp;<a href="https://rnn4sp8ab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001TdOffBn2W1mqxx8Duaq9VIPSgNKvPVlOSEQ1rAQ-HpfPIRnX4_N8o5BKDg89tF2CF8qPozSgfyLgd7gx5UGFreeRyOEj7AYmBhuTagiT0hIuz2klOa8NSJW1KdhLbIcb15tsn4zrgzgAvXs7SA58Ilw8kiJC_5ES7TR8-i2cH5GWpefDtu7LyOQp39c0aurhCjoobhT9zP30T3XpO5iOADypxqZlK72oxvmX_dpFqq7qz-uAo8VHWVWgAjf8bTmJQj_FVo2Hm1LRwke0eIdxagHldAzux6ywDEMlSvlVZxcbAo2cMDCJ7ePl4utgj0qel2sFXv8ZB6q6e4xhpTKCNw==&amp;c=jk_hxhxLElrA3EQ28wKbu_dQBFrkHBMN-Q4mMzEqohecX_x9qULE8A==&amp;ch=dGWC5NYzlaWuEJfuRkBCRsA5R82hOD2FpY407bcU9LijBy6FYTs0fg==" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">announcement</a>&nbsp;and the previously posted&nbsp;<a href="https://rnn4sp8ab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001TdOffBn2W1mqxx8Duaq9VIPSgNKvPVlOSEQ1rAQ-HpfPIRnX4_N8o5BKDg89tF2CvggGY-q3nQm2QvCc0INkt4GMy8UGhNdPVbk5NFsca6F5sKmCEIoOI-8lhwovW7iB4qA_Pq_bAcAtA6xTLFqHQ7_mlb4Xjuskf3ClfQXvSu_lo88AjSoMGEBs4JJsK-I_g1XkpmISXDm8xydOx48zRYOrDCM5cx2MOiNC_8ZcJc31GsJ1KhcQJ27hy55k7rISumZXR8RnSXy0EGqB5dhTL4SWEn_oJolhw0n2dEU_sFx6GWdzcvpWccHQQQDCpS5qyITeJrVivts=&amp;c=jk_hxhxLElrA3EQ28wKbu_dQBFrkHBMN-Q4mMzEqohecX_x9qULE8A==&amp;ch=dGWC5NYzlaWuEJfuRkBCRsA5R82hOD2FpY407bcU9LijBy6FYTs0fg==" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">interim final rule</a>.

USTR is commencing a public consultation process ahead of the trilateral review of the United States, Mexico, and Canada Agreement (USMCA). The public comment period will open on September 17 and run to 11:59 PM on November 1. USTR will also convene a public hearing on November 17 in the Main Hearing Room at the U.S. International Trade Commission. Requests to appear must include a summary of testimony and may be accompanied by a prehearing submission. See the Federal Register announcement <a href="https://rnn4sp8ab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001TdOffBn2W1mqxx8Duaq9VIPSgNKvPVlOSEQ1rAQ-HpfPIRnX4_N8o5BKDg89tF2CCaqUZa_wmfDtY9vcElHBzgsC1IVXlpHbOCSQOSyuXJRXchfv3C0rJztmgtSK30mK2RlQh9kXIvfZ8BljtnxHTcfZqhIY2H05pffR3dG5hdmlMK1AjMocx0F7WWlK-DgaAuwxkx4mBOI0gugzwHcltKs90J7blN8jov3E_eAWJ46ICOEKBQTECiuKCLGe0OZS1HsYUIRp3q5lC6ksTGldreCp2roJ08edqq-yphbeqYpxhUyQVu47gh-TbXRGEFyII_5dnVST_4vNVAQ98yfmaduf7iNcTwsj&amp;c=jk_hxhxLElrA3EQ28wKbu_dQBFrkHBMN-Q4mMzEqohecX_x9qULE8A==&amp;ch=dGWC5NYzlaWuEJfuRkBCRsA5R82hOD2FpY407bcU9LijBy6FYTs0fg==" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>.

USTR is particularly interested in comments regarding:

Recommendations for specific actions that USTR should propose ahead of the Joint Review to promote balanced trade, new market access, and alignment on economic security with Mexico and Canada.

Factors affecting the investment climate in North America and in the territories of each Party, as well as the effectiveness of the USMCA in promoting investment that strengthens U.S. competitiveness, productivity, and technological leadership.

Strategies for strengthening North American economic security and competitiveness, including collaborative work under the Competitiveness Committee, and cooperation on issues related to non-market policies and practices of other countries.

House Votes to Extend Block on Challenge to Tariffs

The House passed a rule that effectively prevents the House from passing legislation that challenges President Trump’s emergency order tariffs through March 31, 2026. The parliamentary maneuver blocks lawmakers from putting a proposal to end an emergency declared by the president to a floor vote. Several Republican members initially opposed the measure, prompting Speaker Johnson to pledge the formation of an informal tariff working group to secure the necessary support within his conference to pass the measure.

China: The U.S. and China will meet in Frankfurt, Germany, for another round of negotiations before the November 10 expiration of their reciprocal tariff truce, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced. He noted that each round of talks has grown “more and more productive.” According to Bessent, China now sees a trade deal as “<a href="https://rnn4sp8ab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001TdOffBn2W1mqxx8Duaq9VIPSgNKvPVlOSEQ1rAQ-HpfPIRnX4_N8o5BKDg89tF2CwF9h8P036-tnPPMeWEwp7xuZTFzIv8kcwt14rH9Uw2qYV3O7BVxmuwPwu6mgdHvBM5ofvQoRcwWYrTbWeMG5Nfjlehz6FElymaNGwAWp4xfj7vwsccTgZbGaDyrKR0jH1Q7amXfOR57RfK6yl93G39WWLc1sB1coiyAJWCmBRRGBNfs5SV3ia3n3GvWu00IgbO2HdhK2HoueKfOKgmdll9a8H_F5YczDRGSMox6OEuE=&amp;c=jk_hxhxLElrA3EQ28wKbu_dQBFrkHBMN-Q4mMzEqohecX_x9qULE8A==&amp;ch=dGWC5NYzlaWuEJfuRkBCRsA5R82hOD2FpY407bcU9LijBy6FYTs0fg==" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">possible</a>.”

Japan: President Trump <a href="https://rnn4sp8ab.cc.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001TdOffBn2W1mqxx8Duaq9VIPSgNKvPVlOSEQ1rAQ-HpfPIRnX4_N8o3Kp-6F992vaijgMjGspiJjX9MKyA-zFECIKtVL75T_rlm850Sdpzv04QrQEBtEYRacF8r01GlY_-tf0fu9znTIUZ1nlFPK1Y-OsQQh8-zWdSxrdW8A7--ecsyUvGXJnmXsXyYyRZ8m7Gk_so6z88cfcfkKqqaxNN-duwNQ1eGMYIn3LBeOMu6rH9eUMzUFEohnTatyXCU1otcsPFcZN8YQ=&amp;c=jk_hxhxLElrA3EQ28wKbu_dQBFrkHBMN-Q4mMzEqohecX_x9qULE8A==&amp;ch=dGWC5NYzlaWuEJfuRkBCRsA5R82hOD2FpY407bcU9LijBy6FYTs0fg==" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">issued an executive order</a> to implement the U.S.-Japan Trade Agreement, setting a 15% tariff on Japanese imports (lower than the 25% rate previously threatened). The tariff, effective retroactively from August 7, covers goods such as automobiles and aircraft, while exempting sectors like pharmaceuticals and natural resources unavailable in the U.S. Japan also secured exemptions from certain U.S. sector-specific tariffs and negotiated a reduced automotive duty as a top priority. In return, Japan committed to increasing imports of key U.S. goods and investing $550 billion to expand American manufacturing.

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Are you concerned about the impacts of the outlined trade issues? Are you interested in submitting comments to any of the above dockets? Please contact Sarah Helton, Michael Best Strategies’ Trade Practice Lead at <a href="mailto:sarah.helton@michaelbest.com">sarah.helton@michaelbest.com</a> for assistance.

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Trump Trade 2.0: Critical Trade Comment Periods Open

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