119-hr1869

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1869 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 1869

 To strengthen the Department of Justice's enforcement against trade-
 related crimes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 March 5, 2025

 Mrs. Hinson (for herself, Mr. Moolenaar, Mr. Krishnamoorthi, Mr. 
 Wittman, Mr. Ivey, Mr. LaHood, Mr. Lieu, Mr. Kiley of California, Ms. 
DeLauro, Mr. Higgins of Louisiana, Ms. Ross, Mr. Finstad, Ms. Stevens, 
 Mr. Ciscomani, Mr. Correa, Mr. Kelly of Pennsylvania, Mr. Carson, Mr. 
Cline, Mr. Davis of North Carolina, Mr. Rulli, Mr. Moulton, Mr. Nunn of 
 Iowa, Mr. Khanna, Mr. Gimenez, Ms. Castor of Florida, Mr. Moran, Mr. 
 Gottheimer, Mr. Newhouse, Ms. Lee of Nevada, Mrs. Dingell, Mr. 
 Norcross, Mr. Deluzio, Mr. Torres of New York, and Ms. Tokuda) 
 introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on 
 the Judiciary

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To strengthen the Department of Justice's enforcement against trade-
 related crimes.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Protecting American Industry and 
Labor from International Trade Crimes Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. TRADE-RELATED CRIMES DEFINED.

 In this Act, the term ``trade-related crimes'' shall be defined as 
violations of law that are implicated by criminal activities in 
furtherance of the evasion of duties, tariffs, and other import- and 
export-related fees, import and export restrictions, or requirements 
imposed by the Tariff Act of 1930, the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, the 
Trade Act of 1974, or the Countering America's Adversaries Through 
Sanctions Act, as well as all other laws and regulations involving 
criminal activities relating to United States imports and exports, 
trade-based money laundering, and smuggling.

SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW STRUCTURE TO PROSECUTE INTERNATIONAL TRADE 
 CRIMES.

    (a) In General.--A task force, named program, or other similar 
structure to investigate and prosecute trade-related crimes, with 
particular emphasis on violations of the statutes enumerated in 

section 4

    (a)

    (2) , shall be established within the Criminal Division of the 
Department of Justice not later than 120 days after the date on which 
appropriations are made available to carry out this Act, and 
coordinated by a supervisory criminal trial attorney selected by the 
Assistant Attorney General of the Criminal Division or other official 
designated by the Attorney General.

    (b) Implementation.--To support this effort, the Attorney General 
shall--

    (1) create within the Criminal Division of the Department 
 of Justice new positions for criminal trial attorneys and 
 associated support personnel responsible for leading and 
 coordinating trade-related crime investigations and cases, 
 including those that may significantly impact more than one 
 district;

    (2) ensure that experienced and technically qualified 
 criminal prosecutors support the effort; and

    (3) promote and ensure effective interaction with law 
 enforcement, industry representatives, and the public in 
 matters relating to trade-related crimes.

SEC. 4. DUTIES AND FUNCTIONS OF NEW TRADE CRIMES STRUCTURE.

    (a) In General.--Through the efforts of the task force, named 
program, or other structure identified in 

section 3

    (a) , the Attorney 
General shall accomplish each of the following:

    (1) Increase the capabilities and capacity of the Criminal 
 Division of the Department of Justice to prosecute trade-
 related crimes.

    (2) Increase the number of trade-related crimes being 
 investigated and prosecuted, including pursuant to health, 
 safety, financial, and economic trade-related crimes, 
 including--
        (A) section 305 of title 13, United States Code;
        (B) section 15 or 16 of the Toxic Substances 
 Control Act (15 U.S.C. 2614 or 2615);
            (C) section 371 of title 18, United States Code;
            (D) section 541 of title 18, United States Code;
        (E) section 542 of title 18, United States Code;
        (F) section 543 of title 18, United States Code;
        (G) section 545 of title 18, United States Code;
        (H) section 546 of title 18, United States Code;
            (I) section 554 of title 18, United States Code;
        (J) section 1001 of title 18, United States Code;
        (K) section 1341 of title 18, United States Code;
            (L) section 1343 of title 18, United States Code;
            (M) section 1349 of title 18, United States Code;
        (N) section 1589 of title 18, United States Code;
        (O) section 1956 of title 18, United States Code;
        (P) section 1957 of title 18, United States Code;
        (Q) section 2320 of title 18, United States Code; 
 and
        (R) section 301 of the Federal Food, Drug, and 
 Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 331).
 For the purposes of this Act, this list does not include 
 violations of national security-related laws and regulations, 
 including the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2771 et seq.), 
 International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et 
 seq.), Export Control and Reform Act (50 U.S.C. 4801 et seq.), 
 and the Trading with the Enemy Act (50 U.S.C. 4305

    (b) ).

    (3) Participate in basic and advanced training events with 
 Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border 
 Protection, and other Federal agencies and provide technical 
 assistance, where appropriate, to Homeland Security 
 Investigations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and other 
 Federal agencies with respect to the investigation and 
 prosecution of trade-related crimes.

    (4) Develop multi-jurisdictional responses and partnerships 
 with respect to trade-related crimes through informational, 
 administrative, and technological support to other Federal 
 agencies and agencies of countries that are trading partners of 
 the United States, as a means for such agencies to acquire the 
 necessary knowledge, personnel, and specialized equipment to 
 investigate and prosecute trade-related crimes.

    (5) Participate in nationally coordinated investigations in 
 any case in which the Attorney General determines such 
 participation to be necessary, as permitted by the available 
 resources of the Department of Justice.

    (6) Ensure that all components that enforce laws against 
 trade-related crimes regularly consult with each other.

    (b) Absence of Exclusion of Pursuing Other Remedies.--Litigation by 
the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice shall not preclude 
additional criminal prosecution or civil action against trade-related 
violations. Nothing in this Act shall prevent the Criminal Division, 
Civil Division, and other Department of Justice components from 
pursuing enforcement action where appropriate.

SEC. 5. ANNUAL REPORT TO CONGRESS.

 The Attorney General, in consultation with the Secretary of 
Homeland Security, shall submit to the Committee on the Judiciary, 
Committee on Ways and Means, and Committee on Financial Services of the 
House of Representatives, and the Committee on the Judiciary and 
Committee on Finance of the Senate a report on the work of the 
Department of Justice with respect to investigation and enforcement of 
trade-related crimes. Specifically, the report shall--

    (1) be submitted not later than one year after the date of 
 the enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, not later 
 than February 1 of each year that begins after the submission 
 of the first report;

    (2) include annual statistics on the volume of publicly 
 charged trade-related crimes and indictments;

    (3) include a summary on how the funds appropriated for 
 trade-related crimes were utilized in the prior reporting 
 period, including staff and operating expenses; and

    (4) provide an estimate of any additional funding needed to 
 combat trade-related crimes.

SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

    (a) In General.--There are authorized to be appropriated to the 
Attorney General $20,000,000 for fiscal year 2026 to carry out this 
Act. Of sums appropriated, at least 80 percent shall be used by the 
Criminal Division to support criminal prosecution of trade crimes as 
defined in this Act, including salaries and expenses necessary to hire 
and train investigatory and prosecutorial personnel, develop 
multijurisdictional and multiagency partnerships, and conduct 
enforcement actions.

    (b) Other Criminal Prosecution and Civil Enforcement.--Remaining 
sums may be used by the Department of Justice to support criminal 
prosecution of trade crimes by other components and civil enforcement.
            (c) Availability of Amounts.--Amounts appropriated pursuant to the 
authorization of appropriations under subsection

    (a) shall remain 
available until expended.
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