Tea & Tidbits: Leaves of Absence

On March 11, 2026, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) initiated new investigations under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 to examine whether the acts, policies, or practices of several major trading partners relating to structural excess capacity and production in manufacturing sectors burden or restrict U.S. commerce.

On March 12, 2026, the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) initiated a second round of Section 301 investigations, this time focusing on whether major trading partners have failed to maintain or enforce meaningful restrictions on forced labor in a manner that burdens or restricts U.S. commerce.

The Federal Acquisition Regulatory (FAR) Council published a proposed rule on Feb. 17, 2026, to implement Section 5949 of the FY 2023 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).