HR-3982 creates a new government fund called the TRADE Fund (Tariff Response and Damages to Exports Fund) that would collect tariff revenues from imported food and agricultural products and redirect those dollars directly to American farmers harmed by trade disruptions. Farmers who face lost export sales, foreign tariff barriers blocking their goods, or rising costs for inputs like fertilizer and equipment would be eligible for direct payments from this fund. The Secretary of Agriculture decides who qualifies and how much each producer receives, without needing Congress to approve the spending separately each year. Annual reports to Congress are required detailing how much money flowed through the fund and what kinds of market damage were found. The fund and its payment authority expire on September 30, 2030, after which any unspent money is permanently cancelled.
Average Household Impact
- Consumer tariff cost offset — redirects agricultural tariff revenues to farmers rather than the general Treasury, leaving import duties on food products in place
Transparency & Accountability
- Annual reporting requirement — Secretary of Agriculture must report fund revenues, economic impacts, and payments to congressional agriculture and appropriations committees within 60 days of each fiscal year end
- Sunset clause — fund authority and unspent balances terminate September 30, 2030
Congressional Summary
This bill establishes the Tariff Response And Damages to Exports Fund within the Treasury, authorizes certain revenues collected from duties (e.g., tariffs) on certain agricultural products to be deposited into the fund, and requires the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to use the fund to make payments to agricultural producers affected by trade-related market disruptions.Specifically, the bill authorizes the President to deposit into this fund any revenues collected from duties on imported products that are classified under Chapters 1-24 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (which includes, among other products, live animals, animal and vegetable products, seafood, prepared foodstuffs, and beverages). USDA must use any amounts deposited into the fund to make payments to agricultural producers that have been affected by trade-related marketed disruptions, including losses USDA determines are due to (1) decreased exports, (2) tariff or non-tariff barriers imposed by foreign countries, or (3) increases in the costs of items and goods necessary for the production of agricultural commodities and livestock.USDA must annually report to Congress on the total revenues transferred into the fund, the economic impacts on affected agricultural producers, and a summary of assistance provided to these agricultural producers.The authorities provided by the bill terminate on September 30, 2030, and the bill permanently rescinds the unobligated balances of all amounts available in the fund as of this date.
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- House
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Introduced in House
- Action Date
- 2025-06-12
- Date Added
- 2026-05-05
- Source
- Congress.gov →
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