WASHINGTON, DC – The United States House of Representatives has passed the Protecting American Industry and Labor from International Trade Crimes Act (H.R.1869), bipartisan legislation co-sponsored by Representative Josh Riley (NY-19) to crack down on China’s trade crimes and protect American workers.
Companies based in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) routinely violate U.S. trade laws – including through fraud, duty evasion, and transshipment – to prop up China’s non-market economy at the expense of American businesses and workers. Despite the scale of this criminal activity, which has cost hundreds of thousands of American jobs, the Department of Justice has chronically under-resourced its prosecution of trade crimes, allowing bad actors to operate with little fear of consequences.
The Protecting American Industry and Labor from International Trade Crimes Act closes that gap by establishing a dedicated DOJ task force to investigate and prosecute international trade crimes, and protect American workers from unfair practices.
“Growing up in Endicott, I watched my family and neighbors struggle because of bad trade deals that shipped our jobs overseas to countries like China. Meanwhile, these same countries have been allowed to get away with breaking our trade laws through dumping, fraud, duty evasion, and more – further undermining American industry and hurting American workers. It’s time to hold them accountable,” Riley said.
The Protecting American Industry and Labor from International Trade Crimes Act:
- Establishes a new task force within the DOJ’s Criminal Division to investigate and prosecute trade-related crimes.
- Enhances 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.
- Requires the Attorney General to submit an annual report to Congress assessing the DOJ’s efforts, statistics on trade-related crimes, and fund utilization.
- Authorizes $20,000,000 for FY 2025 to support these efforts with appropriate guardrails.
The legislation is backed by the American Iron and Steel Institute, Coalition for a Prosperous America, American Medical Manufacturers Association, Alliance for American Manufacturing, Forging Industry Association, National Council of Textile Organizations, North American Die Casting Association, American Shrimp Processors Association, American Mold Builders Association, Campaign for Uyghurs, and America First Policy Institute.
You can read the full bill text HERE.
###
