H.R. 5909: Reciprocal Market Access Act of 2018

115th Congress · introduced 2018-05-22 · Foreign Trade and International Finance · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Trade.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2018-05-22 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. DeLauro, Rosa L. [D-CT-3] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Trade. 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

Reciprocal Market Access Act of 2018

Plain summary

Reciprocal Market Access Act of 2018 This bill requires that reductions in tariff rates for imports into the United States are accompanied by reciprocal trade barrier reductions for the same U.S.-produced goods exported to the same foreign country. Before the President agrees to reduce or eliminate a rate of duty for any product to carry out a trade agreement between the United States and a foreign country, the President must certify to Congress that the foreign country has also reduced or eliminated tariff and non-tariff barriers for imports of the same goods from U.S. producers. Violations of a trade agreement by the foreign country are immediately enforceable under the bill. If the foreign country has not reduced a trade barrier as previously agreed, or has imposed a new one, the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) shall withdraw the duty reduction for the same goods from that country. The bill allows interested parties to petition the USTR to investigate violations of trade agreements. Interested parties include manufacturers and wholesalers of the goods involved in the alleged violation, as well as unions and trade associations. The bill requires the U.S. International Trade Commission to investigate possible market access opportunities when the President seeks to reduce a rate of duty for an imported good.

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

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Reciprocal Market Access Act of 2018

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. DeLauro, Rosa L. [D-CT-3] · 0 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Sponsor's campaign money: Rep. DeLauro, Rosa L. [D-CT-3] reported raising $1.6 million (2025–2026). Details. Shown for context only; it does not mean any donor supported this bill.

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 (1)

Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).

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-115hr5909.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/115/hr>

Record fed-us-cong115-hr5909 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong115 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong115