Sponsors (43)
The bill delivers timely refund relief and reduced paperwork for importers (helping small businesses' cash flow) at the cost of lower federal revenue and potential legal and administrative strains on CBP and the government.
Importers — including small businesses and financial institutions — will receive refunds of IEEPA tariffs collected on or after Jan 1, 2025, and clarifying that withdrawals from warehouse for consumption count as entries broadens who is eligible and restores cash flow.
Importers and small businesses will face less paperwork and get faster relief because CBP must proactively process refunds within 90 days without requiring applications.
Taxpayers and the federal budget will see reduced revenue because refunded duties lower federal receipts, potentially increasing budgetary pressure or requiring offsets.
CBP staff and customs operations may be strained because the 90‑day mandatory processing timeline could overload resources, cause implementation errors, or delay other customs functions.
Government entities and third parties could face legal uncertainty because mandating refunds notwithstanding other laws (IEEPA and the Tariff Act) may create conflicts and increase litigation risk for the government and affected contractors or states.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Introduced February 20, 2026 by Steven Horsford · Last progress February 20, 2026
Requires U.S. Customs and Border Protection to liquidate or reliquidate import entries and refund duties that were collected under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act on or after January 1, 2025. CBP must complete the process without asking importers to file protests or applications, use existing agency records to calculate refunds, and return amounts to the importer of record within 90 days of enactment. The bill defines “entry” to include withdrawals from warehouse for consumption and directs the CBP Commissioner to act notwithstanding other customs or emergency statutes that might otherwise limit refunds or protest timelines.