Sponsors (18)
The bill trades away a presidential unilateral duty/remedy tool—potentially lowering consumer prices and increasing predictability for businesses—while weakening rapid U.S. leverage and response to foreign trade discrimination, which could harm exporters and shift disputes into slower, costlier processes.
Importers and U.S. consumers (including middle‑class families) may pay lower prices because the President would no longer be able to impose additional duties under §1338.
Small business exporters and importers, and federal stakeholders, would face fewer sudden unilateral trade measures because the bill reduces executive-branch discretion to impose duties or exclusions, increasing predictability.
U.S. exporters and businesses lose a tool for retaliation when foreign countries discriminate, weakening U.S. leverage to defend commerce and potentially emboldening discriminatory foreign actions.
Firms facing unfair foreign barriers could be deprived of a fast presidential response, increasing the risk of lost sales or market access for affected businesses and taxpayers funding trade remedies.
Trade disputes may be pushed into slower congressional or multilateral processes, delaying relief and raising compliance and legal costs for affected firms.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Removes the statute (19 U.S.C. § 1338) that authorized the President to impose additional duties or exclude imports in response to foreign discrimination against U.S. commerce.
Repeals the federal statute (19 U.S.C. § 1338) that currently authorizes the President to impose additional duties, exclude imports, or take related trade actions when a foreign country discriminates against or burdens U.S. commerce. The bill removes the legal authorities, procedures, and discretionary presidential powers set out in that section. The change eliminates a unilateral tariff and exclusion tool from U.S. trade law; it does not in itself create new authorities or appropriate funds and does not specify replacement procedures or alternative remedies.
Official title: To repeal section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930.
Introduced March 27, 2025 by Brad Schneider · Last progress March 27, 2025