II 

116TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 4976 

To amend the Trade Act of 1974 to reform the Generalized System of 

Preferences to better protect United States workers. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

DECEMBER 8, 2020 

Mr. HAWLEY introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred 

to the Committee on Finance 

A BILL 

To amend the Trade Act of 1974 to reform the Generalized 

System of Preferences to better protect United States 

workers. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Trade Preference Re5 form and Worker Protection Act of 2020’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. PROVISION OF DUTY-FREE TREATMENT UNDER 

2 GENERALIZED SYSTEM OF PREFERENCES 

3 ONLY DURING PERIODS OF LOW UNEMPLOY4 MENT IN THE UNITED STATES. 

5 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 505 of the Trade Act of 

6 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2465) is amended to read as follows: 

7 ‘‘SEC. 505. DUTY-FREE TREATMENT PROVIDED ONLY DUR8 ING PERIODS OF LOW UNEMPLOYMENT IN 

9 THE UNITED STATES. 

10 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The President may provide duty11 free treatment under this title only if the monthly season12 ally adjusted unemployment rate in the United States, as 

13 determined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the De14 partment of Labor, has been less than 4 percent, on aver15 age, during the preceding 6-month period. 

16 ‘‘(b) SUSPENSION.—Not later than 30 days after the 

17 unemployment rate increases to a level higher than the 

18 level described in subsection (a), the President shall sus19 pend the provision of duty-free treatment under this title 

20 until the unemployment rate decreases to the level de21 scribed in subsection (a).’’. 

22 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents 

23 for the Trade Act of 1974 is amended by striking the item 

24 relating to section 505 and inserting the following: 

‘‘Sec. 505. Duty-free treatment provided only during periods of low unemployment in the United States.’’. 


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1 (c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 

2 this section take effect on the date that is 30 days after 

3 the date of the enactment of this Act. 

4 SEC. 3. INELIGIBILITY OF COUNTRIES THAT USE FORCED 

5 LABOR FOR GENERALIZED SYSTEM OF PREF6 ERENCES. 

7 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 502(b)(2) of the Trade 

8 Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2462(b)(2)) is amended— 

9 (1) by inserting after subparagraph (H) the fol10 lowing: 

11 ‘‘(I) Such country is identified by the Bu12 reau of International Labor Affairs of the De13 partment of Labor pursuant to section 

14 105(b)(2)(C) of the Trafficking Victims Protec15 tion Reauthorization Act of 2005 (22 U.S.C. 

16 7112(b)(2)(C)) as a source country of goods 

17 that are believed to be produced by forced labor 

18 or child labor in violation of international 

19 standards.’’; and 

20 (2) in the flush text at the end, by striking 

21 ‘‘(F), (G), and (H)’’ and inserting ‘‘and (F)’’. 

22 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 

23 subsection (a) apply with respect to articles entered on 


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1 or after the date that is 30 days after the date of the 

2 enactment of this Act. 

Æ 


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