Federal agencies would be required to develop a formal strategy for expanding Trade Transparency Units — joint information-sharing programs between U.S. customs and law enforcement and their counterparts in foreign countries. The strategy must address how agencies like Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network share data to detect and disrupt international money laundering schemes. It must be submitted to Congress within 180 days, in unclassified form, and may include a classified annex. The Government Accountability Office would then independently assess the strategy and report its findings to Congress within another 180 days.
Transparency & Accountability
- Multi-agency strategy requirement — written plan for cross-border data sharing due in 180 days
- GAO independent review — Comptroller General report to Congress within 180 days
- Unclassified submission rule — public form required, classified annex optional
Congressional Summary
Trade Transparency Unit Strategy ActThis bill requires a strategy and report related to the expansion of trade transparency units. Trade transparency units examine trade anomalies and financial irregularities associated with trade-based money laundering, customs fraud, contraband smuggling, and tax evasion.Specifically, the Department of Homeland Security must coordinate with the Departments of State, Commerce, and the Treasury to submit a strategy to Congress. This strategy must (1) expand information sharing between U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, appropriate elements of the Department of Commerce, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network of the Department of the Treasury, and appropriate counterparts of foreign customs agencies through trade transparency units; and (2) improve intra-agency, interagency, and other multilateral information sharing with respect to these units.The Government Accountability Office must submit a report to Congress that includes an assessment of the strategy.
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- Senate
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Introduced in Senate
- Action Date
- 2026-01-08
- Date Added
- 2026-05-28
- Source
- Congress.gov →
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