Byrd Dropping

The Byrd Amendment, which funnels revenue from antidumping tariffs directly to the companies that requested the tariffs in the first place, may finally be dead:

The U.S. House of Representatives voted on Friday to kill a trade program that has paid more than $1 billion to U.S. companies since 2000 and been declared illegal by the World Trade Organization.

Congressional investigators released a report in September showing that nearly $500 million in payments under the program went to just five companies, and that two-thirds of total payments went to three industries: bearings, candles and steel.

Or not:

The Senate's $35 billion package of budget cuts leaves the measure intact.

GAO report here. Senator Byrd (D-W.V.) explains that he justs wants foreigners to "play by the rules" here.