HR 1903119th CongressIn Committee

Congressional Trade Authority Act of 2025

Introduced: Mar 6, 2025

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

The Congressional Trade Authority Act of 2025 would overhaul how the United States uses its Section 232 national-security powers to adjust imports. It tightens presidential authority by requiring explicit congressional approval through a joint resolution of approval, and it assigns and restructures key investigative roles (shifting lead input to the Secretary of Defense with involvement from the Secretary of Commerce). It creates a formal “covered article” category focused on items related to military equipment, energy resources, or critical infrastructure, and it adds a structured process for how Congress can approve or reject proposed import adjustments. The bill also sets up a detailed exclusion process administered by the International Trade Commission (ITC) to grant temporary exemptions from any proposed duties or quotas, adds oversight through audits and reporting, and introduces a sunset for any such actions after three years unless renewed by Congress. In short, it curtails rapid presidential action and grounds it in a layered, time-limited congressional process with stronger federal-on-federal checks.

Key Points

1Redefined scope and roles:
2- Replaces generic “an article” with “a covered article,” limited to items tied to military equipment, energy resources, or critical national-security infrastructure.
3- Places primary investigation responsibility with the Secretary of Defense (with input from the Secretary of Commerce) rather than the current framework, reshaping who analyzes import threats.
4Congressional check on presidential actions:
5- Any action to adjust imports under the national-security trigger can have force only if a joint resolution of approval is enacted within 60 days of the President’s submission to Congress.
6- The joint resolution must follow a very specific form and title, and both House and Senate procedures are laid out in detail to govern consideration, reporting, and passage.
7Exclusion process for covered articles:
8- Establishes an ITC-administered process to grant exclusions from any duties or quotas, with criteria focused on domestic production, harm to the economy, and the ability to maintain competitive pressure against unfair trade practices.
9- Exclusions must be made available to all importers, cannot disclose confidential business information, and must specify duration and renewal rules.
10Oversight, reporting, and accountability:
11- ITC must publish procedures and the Commerce Department must provide procedural guidance.
12- The ITC must produce a report within 18 months on the effects of any action taken.
13- The Comptroller General (GAO) will audit the exclusion process annually.
14Sunset and transition:
15- Any approved action would sunset after three years unless Congress renews it.
16- The bill contains transition rules for actions pending or proposed before enactment and requires certain resubmissions to Congress if needed.
17Other technical updates:
18- Conforming amendments change references to the relevant federal officials (Secretary of Defense, Secretary of Commerce) where necessary.
19- The effective date and transition provisions are structured to apply to actions as far back as six years prior to enactment, with specific transition steps for pre-enactment determinations.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected- U.S. industries potentially subject to import adjustments and duties (exporters, importers, and downstream users) tied to national-security considerations, especially those dealing with military equipment, energy resources, or critical infrastructure.Secondary group/area affected- United States national-security and defense sectors, which gain a formal, codified process involving the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Commerce, and a more constrained window for action without Congressional approval.- The International Trade Commission, which gains a defined, pre-approved exclusion framework with specific criteria and timelines.Additional impacts- Congress-Executive branch dynamics: stronger, more structured legislative oversight could slow urgent responses to emerging threats but increases accountability.- Consumers and supply chains: the ITC exclusion criteria aim to protect consumers and critical supply chains, potentially reducing sudden price or availability disruptions in key goods.- Fiscal and administrative: introduces audits and reporting requirements (GAO audit, ITC reports) that increase administrative workload and transparency.Section 232: a provision of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 by which the President can adjust imports to address national-security concerns.Covered article: newly defined category of imports related to military equipment, energy resources, or critical national-security infrastructure.Joint resolution of approval: a formal congressional vote (in either chamber) approving the President’s proposed import-adjustment action; without passage, the action cannot take effect.ITC exclusion: a formal process to grant exemptions from duties or quotas for certain covered articles, balancing national security with economic and consumer impacts.Sunset: the automatic termination of an approved action after three years unless renewed by Congress.

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