Cotton, Rubio, Hawley Introduce Legislation to End Permanent Normal Trade Relations with China

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Contact: Caroline Tabler or Patrick McCann (202) 224-2353
September 26, 2024

Cotton, Rubio, Hawley Introduce Legislation to End Permanent Normal Trade Relations with China

Washington, D.C. - Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Senator Marco Rubio (R-Florida), and Senator Josh Hawley (R-Missouri) today introduced The Neither Permanent Nor Normal Trade Relations Act to end Permanent Normal Trade Relations (PNTR) with China.

"China's Permanent Normal Trade Relations status has enriched the Chinese Communist Party while costing the United States millions of jobs. This comprehensive repeal of China's PNTR status and reform of the U.S.-China trade relationship will protect American workers, enhance our national security, and end the Chinese Communists' leverage over our economy," saidSenator Cotton.

"Giving Communist China the same trade benefits that we give to our greatest allies was one of the most catastrophic decisions that our country has ever made. Our country's trade deficit with China more than quadrupled, and we exported millions of American jobs. Ending normal trade relations with China is a no-brainer," said Senator Rubio.

"More than two decades ago, Washington elites granted China most favored nation trading status, enabling Beijing to exploit our working class. Congress must revoke this sweetheart deal to protect American workers from our greatest adversary and to bring back the millions of manufacturing jobs shipped overseas," said Senator Josh Hawley.

Text of the bill may be found here.

The Neither Permanent Nor Normal Trade Relations Act would:

• End PNTR for China.
• Phase-in tariffs for Chinese products over five years, including 100% tariffs for goods determined to be important to national security.
• Empower the President to create supplementary quotas and tariffs to phase out Chinese imports and to institute overriding bans on specific Chinese goods.
• End de minimis treatment for covered nations-including China-and require customs brokers for other de minimis shipments.
• The revenue produced will go towards farmers and manufacturers injured by potential Chinese retaliation, the purchase of key munitions important to a Pacific conflict, and paying down the debt.

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