Bill > S3905

This bill, titled the "Tariff Refund Act of 2026," mandates that the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection refund duties previously imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEPA), a law that grants the President broad authority to regulate international economic transactions during national emergencies. This action is prompted by a Supreme Court ruling that found these IEPA-imposed duties to be unlawful. The bill requires these refunds, along with interest, to be paid to importers of "covered articles" – meaning any article subject to these unlawful duties – within 180 days of the bill's enactment. To facilitate this, the Commissioner is authorized to reliquidate entries, essentially re-evaluating past import transactions to remove the unlawful duties and process the refunds. The bill also emphasizes prioritizing refunds for "small business concerns," defined by the Small Business Act, and requires the Commissioner to coordinate with the Small Business Administration to inform these businesses about the refund process. Furthermore, the Commissioner must provide regular reports to Congress on the progress of these refunds, detailing amounts refunded and estimated completion times, and issue guidance on how to handle claims for "drawback," which is a refund of duties paid on imported goods that are subsequently exported or used in manufacturing. The bill also expresses the sense of Congress that businesses that passed on these unlawful duties should pass the refunds onto their customers, including families and small businesses.

Budget and Finance

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/3905/all-info