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Bill That Aims to Increase Criminal Prosecutions of Trade Crimes Passes House

The House passed a bill that would create a task force in DOJ to increase prosecutions of tariff evasion, violations of the forced labor provision and ban on goods made in North Korea, trade-based money laundering and smuggling. The bill passed by a voice vote Dec. 3.

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Protecting American Industry and Labor from International Trade Crimes Act was a bipartisan bill that came out of the House Select Committee on China. It requires that the task force be set up within 120 days of appropriations passing that fund it; and one year after the act becomes law, Congress requires Homeland Security and DOJ to submit a report on the annual statistics on trade-related indictments, how the funds appropriated were used, and if the department needs more funding.

The Coalition for a Prosperous America hailed the vote and asked the Senate to act swiftly on a companion bill.