Tariff Relief for American Development and Employment Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Representative James, John [R-MI-10]
Introduced
Summary
Protect U.S. manufacturers, workers, and North American supply chains from the economic harm of new tariffs and foreign retaliation. This bill would create a tariff-funded relief program to pay credits, make loans, and support domestic investment to keep production and jobs in America.
Show full summary
- Manufacturers and producers would get direct help for tariff-related losses through a refundable Tariff Impact Credit and low-interest working-capital loans with terms up to 10 years. Assistance can cover duties on inputs, losses from retaliation, and lost export sales when documented.
- Workers and communities would get priority when aid preserves jobs, avoids layoffs, increases training or wages, or creates apprenticeships. Recipients must keep substantially all assisted production in the United States and may face repayment for violations.
- Small and medium-sized firms would get at least 35% of annual relief, faster application tracks, simpler documentation, and technical help to reduce barriers to access.
- The program would be financed from additional customs duties tied to the covered tariff actions and run by Commerce with Treasury and U.S. Trade Representative input. It includes anti-abuse rules, recapture for fraud, and public reporting on recipients and outcomes.
Personalized for You
How does this bill affect your finances?
Personalize government policy and PRIA will tell you what this bill means for your household, plus every other piece of legislation we track. PRIA reads each provision against your financial profile to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 1 costs, 1 mixed.
Refundable tariff credit for businesses
If enacted, the bill would create a refundable credit for a person's documented net tariff injury from covered tariff actions. The credit could cover up to the full documented net tariff injury, subject to section 105(b) and available funds. Assistance for the same injury could not exceed the documented net tariff injury.
Program authority ends after five years
If enacted, the authority to approve new Program assistance would end five years after enactment unless Congress reauthorizes it. This cutoff would not apply to assistance provided before that date, including loans, repayment obligations, audits, and recapture authorities.
Eligibility and use rules for businesses
If enacted, applicants would have to show substantial U.S. production activity and material net tariff injury relative to revenue, payroll, margin, capex, or cost of production. Applicants must comply with Federal tax and labor laws and show that assistance would maintain or increase U.S. production, jobs, or investment. At least 35% of annual relief would be reserved for small- and medium-sized firms, and the program would prioritize applicants that retain workers, raise wages or training, or expand U.S. production. Recipients could not use assistance for buybacks, dividends, executive pay increases, or to move production overseas, and material violations would trigger repayment; the program would account for offsets to prevent double recovery.
Loans and investment help for manufacturers
If enacted, the bill would let affected firms apply for low-interest working-capital loans with terms up to 10 years and no early-pay penalty. It would also provide an American Investment Credit for reshoring, domestic input substitution, modernization, training, and related investments. The Commerce Secretary could offer emergency bridge financing for critical employers facing imminent tariff-related closure or mass layoffs. The bill does not set total dollar amounts for these supports.
New tariff relief program and fund
If enacted, the Commerce Secretary would run a new Tariff Impact Relief Program. The Treasury would hold a TRADE Fund that gets net additional customs duties from covered tariff actions. The Secretary and Treasury must issue implementing rules within 120 days of enactment. The program would publish a public database of recipients and the Commerce IG would perform audits.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
James, John [R-MI-10]
MI • R
Cosponsors
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov