[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7822 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7822

 To direct the Secretary of the Treasury to promulgate regulations for 
the payment of refunds for tariffs invalidly assessed using authorities 
provided by the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to entities 
    that demonstrably lower consumer prices, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 5, 2026

Ms. DeLauro (for herself and Mr. Mrvan) introduced the following bill; 
         which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To direct the Secretary of the Treasury to promulgate regulations for 
the payment of refunds for tariffs invalidly assessed using authorities 
provided by the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to entities 
    that demonstrably lower consumer prices, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Tariff Relief for Consumers Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    Congress finds the following:
            (1) President Trump's tariffs imposed under the 
        International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et 
        seq.) (IEEPA) in many sectors raised prices for consumers and 
        imposed additional costs on businesses.
            (2) Research has shown that consumers have shouldered up to 
        96 percent of the burden of the IEEPA tariffs, meaning 
        companies have passed the increased costs in their supply 
        chains due to tariffs on to consumers in the form of higher 
        prices.
            (3) Given the Supreme Court's holding in Learning 
        Resources, Inc. v. Trump that the tariffs imposed by President 
        Trump under IEEPA are unlawful, the Administration must ensure 
        that consumers, not just large corporations, are the ones who 
        receive relief from the costs of these tariffs.
            (4) As consideration of refunding tariffs paid due to the 
        President's policies is undertaken by the Administration and 
        the courts, priority should be given to ensuring that final 
        consumers of products subject to tariffs obtain relief. It is 
        unlikely that large corporations will pass on to consumers the 
        benefit of any tariff refunds they receive without specific 
        stipulations to that effect.
            (5) Therefore, the Secretary of the Treasury, the 
        Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the 
        head of any other relevant Federal agency should rapidly draft 
        and implement rules to ensure tariff refunds are returned 
        directly to consumers in the form of price reductions or 
        rebates.

SEC. 3. TARIFF REFUND PROGRAM.

    (a) Establishment.--Not later than 30 days after the date of the 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation 
with the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, shall 
promulgate such regulations as may be necessary to carry out a program 
by which covered importers may receive refunds in the amount the 
Secretary determines such covered importers paid the United States in 
tariffs or other duties imposed through the assertion of authorities 
provided by the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 
1701 et seq.) and invalidated by the Supreme Court in Learning 
Resources, Inc. v. Trump on February 20, 2026.
    (b) Application Requirements.--In applying for a refund under the 
regulations promulgated pursuant to this section, a covered importer 
shall--
            (1) set forth in the application the steps such covered 
        importer intends to take to lower the prices paid by their 
        customers for goods formerly subject to such tariffs, in full 
        proportion to the refund applied to be received with respect to 
        such goods; and
            (2) demonstrate, to the extent practicable--
                    (A) that such reductions in prices are targeted 
                towards essential consumer goods;
                    (B) to the extent that the covered importer does 
                not trade in essential consumer goods, that the covered 
                importer has implemented other means by which prior 
                customers of the importer can receive rebates or 
                refunds on prospective purchases commensurate with the 
                amount refunded; or
                    (C) that the covered importer did not increase 
                customer prices due to the imposition of the tariffs 
                described in subsection (a) and instead absorbed that 
                cost directly.
    (c) Prioritization.--The Secretary shall prioritize the payment of 
refunds described in subsection (a) to--
            (1) covered importers that credibly demonstrate, as 
        described in subsection (b)(2)(A), that in anticipation of 
        receiving such refunds the covered importer has reduced prices 
        for essential consumer goods; and
            (2) covered importers that credibly demonstrate, as 
        described in subsection (b)(2)(B), that in anticipation of 
        receiving such refunds the covered importer has created a 
        mechanism for prior consumers to receive rebates on prospective 
        purchases.
    (d) Prohibition.--No covered importer may conduct stock buybacks or 
distribute dividends unless the covered importer certifies to the 
Secretary of the Treasury that the covered importer has completed the 
steps to lower prices for consumers described in subsection (b)(1).
    (e) Consultation.--In carrying out the regulations promulgated 
pursuant to this section, the Secretary of the Treasury shall consult 
as appropriate with the heads of other relevant Federal departments and 
agencies.
    (f) Deadline for Refunds.--
            (1) In general.--The Secretary of the Treasury, in 
        coordination with the heads of other relevant Federal 
        departments and agencies, as appropriate, shall take such steps 
        as may be necessary to ensure that all tariffs and other duties 
        described in subsection (a) are refunded not later than 180 
        days after the date of the enactment of this Act, except to the 
        extent that covered importers are unable to meet the applicable 
        requirements of the program established by such subsection.
            (2) Voluntary price reduction.--Nothing in this subsection 
        may be construed to prohibit or limit any importer that paid 
        any amount in tariffs or other duties described in subsection 
        (a) from voluntarily lowering prices in the manner described in 
        subsection (b)(1).
    (g) Definitions.--In this Act:
            (1) The term ``covered importer'' means an entity that paid 
        $5,000,000 or more in tariffs or other duties described in 
        subsection (a) as of February 19, 2026, other than any such 
        entity whose ultimate parent entity earned less than 
        $10,000,000 in revenue in calendar year 2025.
            (2) The term ``essential consumer goods'' means--
                    (A) infant formula and infant and toddler food 
                goods;
                    (B) diapers and essential infant clothing and 
                safety products;
                    (C) hygiene and health care products;
                    (D) foodstuffs eligible to be purchased with 
                supplemental nutrition assistance program benefits, as 
                identified by the Secretary of Agriculture;
                    (E) basic clothing items, including shoes;
                    (F) children's toys and sporting goods with a 
                manufacturer's suggested retail price of less than $50; 
                and
                    (G) such other consumer goods as the Secretary of 
                the Treasury determines appropriate.
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