Thu January 23, 2025

By Press Release

Cotton Reintroduces Legislation to End Permanent Normal Trade Relations with China
Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Senator Jim Banks (R- Indiana), and Senator Josh Hawley (R-Missouri), today reintroduced The Restoring Trade Fairness Act to end Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) with China. This legislation was introduced in the House by Congressman John Moolenaar (Michigan-2), Chairman of the House Select Committee on China, and Congressman Tom Suozzi (New York-3).

 “China’s Permanent Normal Trade Relations status has enriched the Chinese Communist Party while costing the United States millions of jobs. This comprehensive repeal of China’s PNTR status and reform of the U.S.-China trade relationship will protect American workers, enhance our national security, and end the Chinese Communists’ leverage over our economy,” said Senator Cotton.

 “The CCP has been ripping us off and stealing our jobs for years. President Trump is the first President in my lifetime to recognize this and hold China accountable with tariffs. My bill with Senator Cotton will protect workers, strengthen our national security, and put America First,” said Senator Banks.

 “The Restoring Trade Fairness Act is a critical step toward ending the unfair economic practices of the Chinese Communist Party that have hurt American workers and weakened our national security. For too long, permanent normal trade relations with China have undermined our manufacturing base, shifted American jobs abroad, and allowed the CCP to exploit our markets while betraying the promise of fair competition. In response, this legislation will safeguard U.S. national security, enhance supply chain resilience, and bring manufacturing jobs back to America and our allies. The bipartisan consensus that both parties recognize the need to reset our economic relationship with China is a big win for our nation and the Select Committee. Building on the tariff measures across three successive Administrations, and in alignment with President Trump’s leadership through his new Executive Order, the Restoring Trade Fairness Act takes decisive action. Thank you to Congressman Suozzi, Senator Cotton, and Senator Hawley for co-leading this legislation and for their collaboration to tackle one of the most pressing challenges of our time,” said Congressman Moolenaar.

 “This bipartisan bill makes the message clear — the Chinese Communist Party cannot receive preferential tariff treatment. The Chinese Communist Party is engaging in unfair trade practices that devastate the American manufacturing industry’s ability to compete, contribute to the theft of American intellectual property, and allow goods made with forced Uyghur labor in Xinjiang to enter our supply chain,” said Congressman Suozzi.

 Text of the bill may be found here

 The Neither Permanent Nor Normal Trade Relations Act would:

 

  • End PNTR for China.
  • Phase-in tariffs for Chinese products over five years, including 100% tariffs for goods determined to be important to national security.  
  • Empower the President to create supplementary quotas and tariffs to phase out Chinese imports and to institute overriding bans on specific Chinese goods.
  • End de minimis treatment for covered nations—including China—and require customs brokers for other de minimis shipments.
  • The revenue produced will go towards farmers and manufacturers injured by potential Chinese retaliation, the purchase of key munitions important to a Pacific conflict and paying down the debt.
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