Senator Banks Introduces Bill to Prevent Tariff EvasionMonday, June 2, 2025

WASHINGTON, D.C, – Last week, Senator Jim Banks (R-Ind.) introduced the Axing Nonmarket Tariff Evasion (ANTE) Act. This legislation aims to stop countries like Communist China from dodging U.S. tariffs by shifting production to third-party countries. The bill gives the U.S. Trade Representative new tools to detect and prevent tariff evasion that undercuts American workers and floods the market with artificially cheap goods. Representative Jodey Arrington (TX-19) is leading the bill in the House.
Senator Jim Banks (R-Ind.): “Communist China shouldn’t be able to dodge U.S. tariffs by slapping a ‘Made in Mexico’ label on their products. My bill closes loopholes and stops the CCP from cheating American workers and manufacturers.”
Representative Jodey Arrington (TX-19): “For far too long, adversaries like China have engaged in unfair trade practices, cheated the American economy, and cost the U.S. millions of jobs. President Trump understands the existential threat this global trade imbalance poses and has the political courage to address it head-on through his reciprocal trade policy, but Congress must do its part as well. The ANTE Act will stop highly-subsidized, state-owned businesses from using third countries as backdoors to evade President Trump’s tariffs and help ensure a level playing field for American producers and manufacturers.”
Key Provisions of the Axing Nonmarket Tariff Evasion Act are:Gives the U.S. Trade Representative new tools to stop countries from dodging tariffs.Allows investigations into whether foreign investments are being used to get around Section 301 tariffs.Lets the President and USTR apply tariffs to those investments if they’re found to be evading U.S. trade rules.
Full bill text can be found here.
Background:This Axing Nonmarket Tariff Evasion Act was initially introduced in the 118th Congress by Rep. Jodey Arrington on September 20th, 2024.
Read more about the Axing Nonmarket Tariff Evasion Act here.