Sponsors (3)
The bill trades stronger, more transparent tools to identify and counter persistent bilateral goods deficits and support domestic manufacturing for greater authority to impose duties — a shift that could protect U.S. industry but also raise consumer prices, increase administrative burdens, heighten trade tensions, and expand contested executive discretion.
Small businesses and U.S. manufacturers: the bill gives USTR/Congress authority to impose additional duties on countries with persistent bilateral goods deficits, which can protect domestic production and jobs by shifting some demand back to U.S. producers.
Taxpayers, small businesses, and policymakers: the bill requires USTR to publish a standardized, annual country-by-country bilateral goods deficit report and clarifies key definitions (e.g., 'trade deficit economy'), improving transparency and predictability for businesses and state/federal planning.
Small businesses and exporters: the bill promotes negotiations aimed at getting trading partners to change policies or commit to buy U.S. goods, which could increase U.S. sales, reduce unfair practices, and support manufacturing demand.
Middle-class families, taxpayers, and businesses: imposing additional duties or stacking new tariffs risks higher consumer prices and increased input costs across many sectors.
Small businesses, importers, and taxpayers: framing deficits as a national-security justification and centralizing authority (USTR/President) risks expanding executive power, reducing predictability, and inviting legal challenges over broad authorities.
U.S. exporters and small businesses: aggressive duties or requirements that force partner commitments could provoke retaliatory measures or WTO disputes, harming U.S. exporters and raising trade tensions.
Based on analysis of 7 sections of legislative text.
Directs USTR to list bilateral goods deficits and lets the President-directed USTR impose duties or negotiate agreements to eliminate those deficits.
Official title: Impose additional duties on goods imported into the United States to eliminate the deficit in trade in goods.
Introduced August 6, 2026 by Richard Lynn Scott · Last progress August 6, 2026
Requires the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) to identify and publish an annual list of U.S. bilateral goods trade deficits and lets the USTR, acting under specific direction from the President, impose or change additional import duties on goods from countries with such deficits to eliminate them. It also authorizes the USTR to negotiate bilateral agreements with designated "trade deficit" partners to reduce deficits and sets narrow exemption, consultation, and procedural rules for those actions.