Toy Association Provides Update on ‘China Week’ & House Legislation
September 12, 2024 | The Toy Association™ is tracking more than 30 pieces of legislation passed by the U.S. House of Representatives during the week of September 9, also known as “China Week.” With the Republican-led House back in session following the summer recess, the focus of China Week was on addressing various aspects of the U.S.-China relationship.
While many of the passed bills cover high-level policy issues that fall outside the direct scope of the toy industry, key areas of interest include trade, national security, and economic competition, all of which could have potential downstream effects on toy companies operating globally, including:
These issues are all tangentially connected to larger trade and intellectual property issues that exist in the U.S.-Sino relationship. Any additional restriction of Chinese-based investment in U.S. companies was notably absent from voting; a contentious “TikTok ban” was previously brought up in Congress, which defined “foreign adversary owned” companies and the restrictions to place on them.
It remains uncertain how many of the bills passed by the House will be debated or voted on in the U.S. Senate, or if they will ultimately be signed by President Biden.
These bills come at a critical time as Congress faces a two-week deadline to appropriate fiscal year 2025 funds and avoid a government shutdown. As budget discussions continue, Toy Association staff will monitor China-related bills to be included or separately passed as part of Congressional negotiations.
Members may contact Owen Caine, vice president of government affairs at The Toy Association, with any questions.