For more information on pursuing trade policy interests through the legislative process, please contact Nicole Bivens Collinson at (202) 730-4956 or via email.
Tariffs. The Congressional Trade Authority Act (H.R. 1903, introduced March 6 by Rep. Beyer, D-Va.) would limit the president’s authority to impose trade restrictions for national security reasons (under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962) by (1) providing that any such restrictions would have no force or effect if Congress does not pass an approval resolution within 60 days, (2) restoring the national security intent of Section 232 by transferring investigative authority from the Department of Commerce to the Department of Defense and restricting investigations to goods with applications in military equipment, energy resources, and/or critical infrastructure, (3) providing for the repeal of Section 232 tariffs and quotas imposed within the last nine years if Congress does not pass an approval resolution within 75 days, (4) requiring the International Trade Commission to administer an exclusion process for future Section 232 actions, and (5) directing the ITC to submit to Congress reports analyzing the industry-specific and downstream effects of any Section 232 actions taken.
H.J.Res. 72 and 73 (introduced March 6 by Rep. Meeks, N.Y.) would terminate the national emergencies declared by President Trump on Feb. 1 that underlie his use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose tariffs on imports from Canada, Mexico, and China.
De Minimis. The Closing the De Minimis Loophole Act (H.R. 1840, introduced March 4 by Rep. Sanchez, D-Calif.) would (1) immediately end de minimis treatment for packages from China and phase out de minimis treatment for all other countries after four months, (2) direct the Treasury Department to oversee a rulemaking process during that transition to ensure that U.S. Customs and Border Protection has the necessary tools and procedures to implement the termination of de minimis for all countries smoothly and efficiently, and (3) direct Treasury to consult with the U.S. Postal Service to establish appropriate fees and entry procedures, aiming for consistency between postal and other shipments wherever feasible.
Trade enforcement. The Protecting American Industry and Labor from International Trade Crimes Act (H.R. 1869, introduced March 5 by Reps. Hinson, R-Iowa, and Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill.) would strengthen the Department of Justice's enforcement against trade-related crimes by (1) establishing a new task force or similar structure within the DOJ’s Criminal Division to investigate and prosecute trade-related crimes (e.g., criminal acts to further duty evasion), (2) enhancing nationwide responses to trade-related offenses by providing training and technical assistance to other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, expanding investigations and prosecutions, and allowing for parallel criminal and civil enforcement actions, (3) requiring the DOJ to submit an annual report to Congress assessing its efforts, statistics on trade-related crimes, and fund utilization, and (4) authorizing funding for fiscal year 2026 to support these efforts with appropriate guardrails.
This bill was introduced by members of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party as part of an effort to secure broader trade enforcement measures. In a March 4 letter, the committee also requested that the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative launch a Section 301 investigation into the unlawful transshipment of Chinese goods through third countries “to circumvent tariffs and duties, evade customs enforcement, or obfuscate the origin of products produced in whole or in part with forced labor.” The letter asserted that “an entire industry” of Chinese logistics companies focused on this tactic has emerged since the imposition of Section 301 and Section 232 tariffs in 2018. Other measures are needed as well, the letter said, including criminal prosecutions and stepped up civil enforcement.
Exports. The Increasing American Jobs Through Greater Exports to Africa and Latin America Act (S. 816, introduced March 3 by Sens. Durbin, D-Ill., and Boozman, R-Ark.) would (1) direct the development of a comprehensive strategy to increase U.S. goods and services exports to Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean by at least 200 percent over the next ten years, (2) create a special White House Africa strategy coordinator to ensure government agencies work in tandem and maximize resources to help U.S. companies expand into these regions, (3) encourage greater attention and coordination to commercial markets in these regions by appropriate U.S. government agencies, and (4) standardize training received by U.S. and Foreign Commercial Service officers and Department of State and U.S. Agency for International Development economic officers on key programs and procedures.
H.R. 1850 (introduced March 5 by Rep. Arrington, R-Texas) would revise the authority provided to the president to impose export licensing requirements or other restrictions on exports of crude oil.
The Unlocking Domestic LNG Potential Act (H.R. 1949, introduced by Rep. Pfluger, R-Texas) would repeal restrictions on the export and import of natural gas.
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