Protecting American Industry and Labor From International Trade Crimes Act of 2026

Floor Speech

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Mrs. HINSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, the Protecting American Industry and Labor from International Trade Crimes Act.

This bipartisan bill will finally hold China accountable for decades of evading U.S. trade laws through transshipment, duty evasion, and forced labor.

The CCP's illicit practices are deliberately designed to take advantage of American workers and our businesses, undercutting American wages and gutting rural manufacturing towns that once thrived with good-paying jobs.

The select committee on China uncovered trade fraud by Chinese auto manufacturer Qingdao Sunsong. Sunsong was using transnational shipment to evade our U.S. tariffs, forcing an Illinois company to lay off a quarter of its workforce.

Just in May, a Canadian company, or actually two of them, paid the Justice Department $19 million after being caught evading customs duties for Chinese steel. This is not an isolated event but rather a part of a broader strategy by the CCP to dominate global markets, and they are doing it on the backs of American workers while perpetrating egregious slave labor violations.

Despite the sheer volume of trade-related cases, the Department of Justice remains inadequately equipped to detect, investigate, and prosecute such offenses effectively. My bill will give the Department of Justice real tools to stop these blatant violations and ensure that penalties are meaningfully enforced. American workers have felt pain for decades because of Communist China's malfeasance. Now it is time for Communist China to face the consequences.

This is a bipartisan opportunity to support American industry, reshore domestic manufacturing, and champion American workers.

I am proud to lead this commonsense legislation with tremendous support from both Republicans and Democrats. I am grateful to have the support of China select committee Chairman Moolenaar and Representative Krishnamoorthi on this bill, and I deeply appreciate their collaboration.

To get this done, there should be nothing partisan about delivering accountability for those who blatantly violate our laws and manipulate American workers. We have seen good progress on reshoring domestic manufacturing, but it is clear that current enforcement mechanisms aren't strong enough. We have more work to do.

My bill will help keep that momentum alive while fighting against the bad actors who will stop at nothing to undermine our country, our businesses, and our hardworking families.

Mr. Speaker, I support this bill, and I urge my colleagues to support this bipartisan legislation supported by union workers, steelworkers, and American workers.

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