TAPP Urges Congress to Pass the Protecting American Industry and Labor from International Trade Crimes Act

As TAPP has recently highlighted, the number of trade related crimes committed by companies based in the People’s Republic of China has been rising at an alarming rate. These companies commit trade fraud, duty evasion, and transshipment — the sort of criminal activity harms our domestic economy and takes job opportunities away from hardworking Americans.

Thankfully, some members of Congress are taking notice. Last month, the House Judiciary Committee passed the Protecting American Industry and Labor from International Trade Crimes Act out of committee with unanimous bipartisan support. The bill was originally introduced by Select Committee on the CCP Chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI), Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-IA), and Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL).

According to the Select Committee on the CCP, the bill would:

●      Establish a new task force to investigate and prosecute trade-related crimes.

●      Increase responses to trade-related offenses nationwide 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.

●      Require the Attorney General to submit an annual report to Congress assessing U.S. Department of Justice efforts, statistics on trade-related crimes, and fund distribution.

Original co-sponsors of this bill include House Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY), House Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), as well as Reps. Darin LaHood (R-IL), Glenn Ivey (D-LA), Nate Moran (R-TX), Ted Lieu (D-CA), Ben Cline (R-VA), Haley Stevens (D-MI), Kevin Kiley (R-CA), Deborah Ross (D-NC), and Lou Correa (D-CA).

TAPP is calling on the Senate Judiciary Committee also to pass the Protecting American Industry and Labor from International Trade Crimes Act so it can move towards passage into law expeditiously. The United States must not tarry in the fight against Chinese companies skipping, subverting, and flouting our trade laws.