Legislative Outlook

Two bills with implications for importers were recently introduced in Congress:

The Secure Revenue Clearance Channel Act, introduced by Reps. Rep. Carol Miller (R-WV) and Don Beyer (D-VA), is aimed at the express consignment operators and the backlog of goods at express ports since the end of the de minimis exemption in August 2025. The bill, which makes provisions for express consignment operators only, includes language to create a 20% ad valorem rate on merchandise. This section of the bill (Sec. 3) seems to be modeled after the postal duty mechanism that came out of the Executive Order (14324) that suspended the de minimis exemption. From the Sandler, Travis, & Rosenberg trade blog:

• The bill would allow express consignment carriers or operators to informally enter imported shipments valued at not more than $600. Exceptions would be provided for imports subject to antidumping or countervailing duties, tariff-rate quotas, and certain taxes and fees collected or imposed, respectively, by agencies other than U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Covered shipments would be free from Section 232 tariffs and most-favored-nation duties but would be subject one of three fees, as chosen by the importer of record.

The Trusted Importer and Competitive Manufacturing Act, introduced by Rep. Max Miller (R-OH), creates a 10-year general import license for certified entities to pay reduced or waived tariffs on specific goods intended to strengthen the domestic economy and secure supply chains. The bill requires that the Secretary of Commerce and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) establish a certification process based on four pillars: legal compliance; security; financial health; and economic contribution. The bill includes a restriction on foreign entities of concern, which would make such entities ineligible for the certification program and ineligible to receive an import license if it is a prohibited foreign entity as defined in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act or engaged in activities detrimental to U.S. national security. This section is seen as addressing concerns around nonresident importers of dubious legitimacy.