WHAT THEY'RE SAYING: Manufacturers, Industry Leaders Back Hinson Bill to Crack Down on China's Trade Crimes

Image September 8, 2026 Press Release Washington, D.C. – Following House passage of Congresswoman Ashley Hinson’s (IA-02) bipartisan bill, the Protecting American Industry and Labor from International Trade Crimes Act, manufacturers and industry leaders are applauding the legislation to strengthen enforcement of U.S. trade laws and protect American workers. The legislation now heads to the Senate for consideration. United Steelworkers Union “Our union welcomes the bipartisan [PAIL Act], which would empower the Department of Justice to clamp down on anti-dumping and countervailing duty order avoidance and help protect jobs.” – United Steelworkers President Roxanne Brown Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association “The PAIL Act enjoys broad, bipartisan support because it addresses a problem that affects manufacturers, farmers, and workers across every state and every industry …We are especially grateful for Representative Ashley Hinson's consistent, sustained leadership on this issue. Her continued advocacy for American manufacturers and workers, and her willingness to champion enforcement measures that give federal agencies real teeth to combat customs fraud, has been instrumental in bringing this legislation forward and keeping trade enforcement a bipartisan priority in Congress.” – Betsy Natz, CEO, Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association Alliance for Trade EnforcementNOW “...We are a coalition of companies and industry associations forced to compete against those that willfully and repeatedly violate U.S. trade laws with impunity—too often without meaningful consequence. In 2026 alone, trade fraud has contributed to the closure of 13 U.S. metal casting foundries and dozens of cabinet manufacturers, costing thousands of jobs. These are but two examples of industries suffering the damage today…It is a critical advance toward credible deterrence and consistent enforcement of U.S. trade law.” – Alliance for Trade EnforcementNOW McWane Inc., Clow Valve Company “For nearly 150 years, McWane’s division, Clow Valve, in Oskaloosa, Iowa, has been casting iron products for the nation’s drinking water infrastructure. Our approximately 500 teammates are proud to manufacture the valves and fire hydrants incorporated into distribution systems across America. Almost as long as Clow’s history in Iowa is our country's fight against unfairly traded imports that undercut U.S. producers’ investments, steal jobs from U.S. workers, and deprive communities of local economic activity.” “...The United States must step up its trade rules enforcement if we are to protect the investments in U.S. productive capacity…such as McWane’s recent $75 million capital investment in Clow’s Oskaloosa foundry and fabrication operations.  We commend Congresswoman Hinson for her leadership in the passage of the PAIL Act and we look forward to its swift consideration in the Senate.” – McWane Inc., Clow Valve Company Cold Finished Steel Bar Institute “The Cold Finished Steel Bar Institute and its members — including Gerdau and Wilton Precision Steel, both in Wilton, Iowa — strongly support H.R. 1869, the Protecting American Industry and Labor from International Trade Crimes Act (PAIL Act). We applaud Congresswoman Hinson for leading this important legislation, which directs the establishment of a Department of Justice task force to investigate and prosecute trade crimes, including customs fraud, duty evasion, and transshipment. Unfortunately, our members are all too familiar with illegal trade practices, which have decimated our industry and eroded our domestic customer base. The CFSBI urges swift enactment of the PAIL Act to ensure effective enforcement of our trade laws and to deter trade cheats from continuing to undermine our manufacturing base.” – Cold Finished Steel Bar Institute Coalition for a Prosperous America “CPA member companies have proven trade fraud case after case, only to see the same bad actors reopen under a new name and continue cheating. That has to end. Trade fraud is not a paperwork violation; it is a crime that steals market share, investment, and jobs from American manufacturers and workers. Congresswoman Hinson’s bill gives the Justice Department the dedicated personnel and resources needed to aggressively prosecute duty evasion, transshipment, and other schemes designed to circumvent U.S. trade laws. CPA proudly supported this legislation when it passed the House unanimously last Congress, and we are proud to support it again. Congress should finish the job and give our trade laws the enforcement they deserve.” – Jon Toomey, President, Coalition for a Prosperous America EverRest US “Passing the PAIL Act is an important step toward protecting American manufacturers. As a U.S. manufacturer of bedding products, we have watched illegal and unsafe imports flood our industry. A dedicated DOJ task force gives trade enforcement some of the teeth it has been missing.” – Erin Byington, Chief Litigation Counsel, EverRest US Alliance for American Manufacturing “The Alliance for American Manufacturing applauds the House's passage of the bipartisan Protecting American Industry and Labor from International Trade Crimes Act. Customs fraud, duty evasion, and other trade crimes harm domestic industries, destroy jobs, and put law-abiding manufacturers at a competitive disadvantage. [Yesterday’s] vote is an important step toward holding trade criminals accountable and ensuring fair competition for American workers and manufacturers.” – Scott Paul, President, Alliance for American Manufacturing Southern Shrimp Alliance “For twenty-five years, we’ve fought trade crime with one hand tied behind our back, watching fraudulent practices proliferate. The PAIL Act finally equips federal prosecutors to go after the trade criminals who’ve cost American taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars a year. We thank Congresswoman Hinson and the bill’s bipartisan cosponsors for championing this legislation.” – Blake Price, Executive Director, Southern Shrimp Alliance Steel Manufacturers Association “Steelmakers are on the frontlines combating China's illegal trade practices. Strong, coordinated action from the federal government is necessary to push back on outright fraud that deprives American manufacturers and workers. We strongly support the Protecting American Industry and Labor from International Trade Crimes Act led by Representative Hinson. By helping to focus the work of the Department of Justice on trade crimes, this bill is an important part of an overall strategy to revitalize American industry and national security.” – Brandon Farris, Executive Vice President, Steel Manufacturers Association United States Oil Country Tubular Goods Manufacturers Association “USOMA and its member companies have filed more than a dozen petitions under the Enforce and Protect Act (EAPA) in recent years concerning the transshipment of Chinese OCTG and seamless pipe through third countries. These actions have resulted in U.S. Customs and Border Protection demanding more than half a billion dollars in additional duties. Congress should pass the PAIL Act to give the Department of Justice the tools it needs to investigate and hold accountable those who seek to evade U.S. trade laws and undermine critical relief for American manufacturers and their workers.” – Jacky Massaglia, Vice Chair, United States Oil Country Tubular Goods Manufacturers Association, and Senior Vice President of North America, Vallourec American Iron and Steel Institute “AISI commends Representatives Hinson, Moolenaar and Krishnamoorthi for their continued leadership on the Protecting American Industry and Labor from International Trade Crimes, or PAIL Act. By directing the Department of Justice to establish a dedicated task force to prosecute trade crimes, the legislation will strengthen federal prosecutors' ability to hold bad actors who evade our customs and trade laws accountable. Full and vigorous enforcement of U.S. trade laws against unfairly traded steel — especially from China — is critical to the continued success of the domestic steel industry. AISI is pleased to support this important legislation.” – Kevin Dempsey, CEO, American Iron and Steel Institute Committee on Pipe and Tube Imports Recognizing the impact of chronic unfair trade and customs fraud practices, Committee on Pipe and Tube Imports Chairman Donnie Weber of Webco Industries urged the Senate to pass the PAIL Act and establish a permanent Department of Justice office dedicated to investigating and prosecuting trade fraud and customs evasion. “American manufacturers and workers deserve a level playing field and the full enforcement of our nation's trade laws.” – Donnie Holder, Chairman, Committee on Pipe and Tube Imports American Wire Producers Association “The American Wire Producers Association (AWPA) commends the U.S. House of Representatives for passage of H.R. 1869, the Protecting American Industry and Labor from International Trade Crimes Act (PAIL Act). As foreign competitors continue to exploit our trade laws and undermine our companies and workers, we welcome additional federal efforts to identify trade fraud and hold bad actors accountable. AWPA is grateful for the leadership of Representatives Hinson and Krishnamoorthi in introducing and advancing the bill through the House and we look forward to its swift consideration by the Senate.” – American Wire Producers Association American Medical Manufacturers Association “The American Medical Manufacturers Association (AMMA) commends Representative Ashley Hinson, Select Committee on the CCP Chairman John Moolenaar, and the bipartisan cosponsors for their leadership on this legislation. Domestic producers of essential medical equipment and protective gear face an uneven playing field. We are competing with foreign firms and adversarial governments that use increasingly inventive schemes to undercut prices and evade U.S. trade laws. “These bad actors routinely break trade rules, sidestep duties, and ship substandard goods that put American patients and workers at risk and create real national security and public health exposure. AMMA stands fully behind this legislation and calls on the Senate to take up and pass the bill without delay.” – Eric Axel, Executive Director, American Medical Manufacturers Association Charlotte Pipe and Foundry Company “Charlotte Pipe watched as the remedial trade orders it successfully sought in costly antidumping and countervailing duty trade litigation was promptly evaded by product transshipment and other forms of customs fraud. Charlotte Pipe commends the House passage of the PAIL Act, which, if enacted, will devote more resources to the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) trade law enforcement prosecutions. Charlotte Pipe thanks Congresswoman Hinson and The House Select Committee for their leadership to advance this important legislation. – Bradford Muller, Vice President of Corporate Communications, Charlotte Pipe and Foundry Company ###