H.R. 6530: Trade Enforcement Act of 2008

110th Congress · introduced 2008-07-17 · Foreign Trade and International Finance · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Border, Maritime, and Global Counterterrorism.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2008-07-17 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Rangel, Charles B. [D-NY-15] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Border, Maritime, and Global Counterterrorism. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Trade Enforcement Act of 2008

Plain summary

Trade Enforcement Act of 2008 - Amends the Trade Act of 1974 to revise certain trade provisions to require the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to: (1) review U.S. trade expansion priorities; and (2) report to Congress on priority foreign country practices which if eliminated will have the most potential to increase U.S. exports. Requires the USTR to seek consultation and satisfactory resolution of any identified priority foreign country trade practice (including an agreement for elimination or provision of compensatory trade benefits) with the country of concern. Establishes the Office of the Congressional Trade Enforcer. Requires the USTR to: (1) identify priority foreign countries that maintain technical barriers to trade, or sanitary or phytosanitary measures, that deny market access to U.S. products; and (2) initiate an investigation of such trade barriers to determine what trade action, if any, must be taken to remedy such barriers. Amends the Tariff Act of 1930 to apply countervailing duty provisions to nonmarket economy countries. Expresses the sense of Congress that: (1) the United States should restore the balance between rights and obligations struck during the Uruguay Round of Multilateral Trade Negotiations; (2) the United States should have the ability to enforce rigorously its trade laws (including antidumping, countervailing duty, and safeguard laws) in World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations and dispute settlement proceedings; and (2) dispute settlement panels are obligated to follow WTO negotiated agreements and not Appellate Body jurisprudence. Revises requirements for presidential action on a finding by the International Trade Commission (ITC) regarding an imported Chinese product that threatens or causes market disruption to a like U.S. product. Directs the Secretary of the Treasury to establish: (1) a government-wide, uniform data system to identify all goods imported into the United States; and (2) a voluntary government-private Import Safety Program to ensure that all goods in the international supply chain do not pose risks to public health or safety, and to facilitate the movement of such goods through the chain. Requires the Secretary to establish: (1) a list of importers of record and foreign manufacturers, processing facilities, exporters, and suppliers whose imported products have been determined to be inadmissible into the United States or have been the subject of U.S. recalls because of violations of health or safety standards; and (2) sanctions for entities on the list. Establishes the position of Director of Intellectual Property Rights Enforcement to develop an annual strategic plan for the enforcement of intellectual property rights. Sets forth: (1) enforcement activities to combat the counterfeiting and piracy of products; and (2) civil fines for the import of pirated or counterfeit products.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

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A “Nay” vote

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Trade Enforcement Act of 2008

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Rangel, Charles B. [D-NY-15] · 8 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Richard E. Neal (D-MA)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (2)

Obligation: A binding promise by a government agency to pay money, for example by signing a contract or awarding a grant. Spending data such as USAspending.gov counts money when it is obligated, which can be before it is actually paid out.
Resolution: A formal statement or decision by a legislative body. Simple resolutions often only express an opinion or set rules for one chamber; they do not become law.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-110hr6530.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/110/hr>

Record fed-us-cong110-hr6530 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong110 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong110