North Lancaster News

Washington, D.C. – Rep. Lloyd Smucker (PA-11) joined his colleagues Reps. Jimmy Panetta (CA-19), David Valadao (CA-22), and Jim Costa (CA-21) in introducing the bipartisan China Trade Cheating Restitution Act to ensure that the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency (CBP) distributes the remaining anti-dumping duties to U.S. mushroom, garlic, honey, and crawfish producers that weren’t paid by the agencies between 2000 and 2014. 

Under the Continued Dumping and Subsidy Offset Act of 2000 (CDSOA), CBP still owes producers in the above impacted agricultural industries approximately $40 million in restitution. These producers have suffered years of abusive dumping practices by China and are owed that amount in restitution that was wrongly kept from them by CBP. The bipartisan China Trade Cheating Restitution Act amends the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015 to ensure the duties and interests are distributed.

“It is no surprise that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has engaged in deceptive and unfair trade practices for years, including efforts to undercut key American agricultural industries,” said Rep. Smucker.  “Efforts to rein in the CCP’s abuses resulted in the collection of anti-dumping duties since 2000, unfortunately much of those funds have yet to be paid to impacted companies by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. I’m proud to join my colleagues in introducing this legislation to make whole American companies that are impacted by the CCP’s egregious trade practices. These funds will allow American companies to reinvest, creating jobs and opportunity in Pennsylvania’s 11th Congressional District and across the nation.” 

“US canned mushrooms producers, like Hanover Foods, were hit hard by unfairly priced Chinese imports. Now, thanks to the efforts of Congressman Smucker we finally have a real opportunity to get the funds we are entitled to from US Customs and Border Protection to reinvest and rebuild. Hanover greatly appreciates his efforts on behalf of the company and our employees in Pennsylvania,” said Gary Knisely, Board Member and retired EVP, Hanover Foods.  

Senators Jon Tester (D-MT), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), and John Thune (R-SD) have introduced companion legislation in the Senate.

Issues: Agriculture Trade

Original source can be found here.