HR1869-119

What This Bill Does

The Protecting American Industry and Labor from International Trade Crimes Act builds a DOJ structure for criminal enforcement against duty evasion, tariff evasion, import and export fee evasion, trade restrictions, sanctions-related trade offenses, trade-based money laundering, and smuggling. Within 120 days after appropriations are available, the Attorney General must establish a task force, named program, or similar Criminal Division structure coordinated by a supervisory criminal trial attorney. DOJ must create new criminal trial attorney and support positions, use experienced technical prosecutors, interact effectively with law enforcement, industry, and the public, increase capacity to prosecute trade crimes, conduct training and technical assistance with Homeland Security Investigations, CBP, and other agencies, develop multi-jurisdictional and international partnerships, participate in nationally coordinated investigations when needed, and ensure DOJ components consult while preserving other criminal and civil enforcement. Annual reports to House and Senate committees must include charged crime and indictment statistics, spending summaries, and funding needs. The bill authorizes $20 million for fiscal year 2026, with at least 80 percent for Criminal Division prosecution work and the rest available for other DOJ criminal or civil enforcement.

Who Benefits and How

Domestic manufacturers benefit from more federal criminal enforcement against customs fraud, smuggling, and duty evasion. U.S. workers in import-competing industries benefit if stronger trade-crime prosecution reduces illegal undercutting. Homeland Security Investigations and CBP benefit from DOJ technical assistance, training, and prosecution coordination. Legitimate importers benefit when competitors evading tariffs and restrictions face greater enforcement risk. Congressional oversight committees benefit from annual statistics, spending summaries, and funding estimates.

Who Bears the Burden and How

The Department of Justice Criminal Division must hire prosecutors, build the structure, coordinate investigations, and report annually. Trade-crime defendants face more federal prosecution capacity and nationally coordinated cases. Importers and exporters with weak compliance face greater criminal, civil, and investigative exposure. The Attorney General must allocate at least 80 percent of appropriated funds to Criminal Division trade-crime prosecution. Federal taxpayers bear the authorized $20 million fiscal year 2026 cost.

Key Provisions

• Defines trade-related crimes to include tariff evasion, sanctions trade offenses, money laundering, and smuggling.
• Creates a DOJ Criminal Division task force or similar structure for trade-crime prosecution.
• Requires training, technical assistance, interagency coordination, and trading-partner partnerships.
• Requires annual reports on charged trade crimes, indictments, spending, and additional funding needs.
• Authorizes $20 million for fiscal year 2026 with an 80 percent Criminal Division use requirement.