79–006 

115TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 2d Session 115–979 

RESOLUTION OF INQUIRY REQUESTING THE PRESIDENT TO TRANSMIT TO 

THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CERTAIN DOCUMENTS IN THE POSSESSION OF THE PRESIDENT RELATING TO THE DETERMINATION TO 

IMPOSE CERTAIN TARIFFS AND TO THE STRATEGY OF THE UNITED 

STATES WITH RESPECT TO CHINA 

SEPTEMBER 26, 2018.—Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed 

Mr. BRADY of Texas, from the Committee on Ways and Means, 

submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany H. Res. 1018] 

The Committee on Ways and Means, to whom was referred the 

resolution (H. Res. 1018) requesting the President to transmit to 

the House of Representatives certain documents in the possession 

of the President relating to the determination to impose certain 

tariffs and to the strategy of the United States with respect to 

China, having considered the same, report thereon without amendment and without recommendation. 

CONTENTS 

Page 

I. SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND ................................................................. 2 

A. Purpose and Summary ......................................................................... 2 

B. Background ........................................................................................... 2 

C. Legislative History ............................................................................... 2 

II. EXPLANATION OF THE BILL ...................................................................... 3 

III. VOTES OF THE COMMITTEE ...................................................................... 3 

IV. BUDGET EFFECTS OF THE BILL ............................................................... 3 

A. Committee Estimate of Budgetary Effects ......................................... 3 

B. Statement Regarding New Budget Authority and Tax Expenditures Budget Authority ...................................................................... 3 

C. Cost Estimate Prepared by the Congressional Budget Office ........... 3 

V. OTHER MATTERS TO BE DISCUSSED UNDER THE RULES OF THE 

HOUSE .......................................................................................................... 3 

A. Committee Oversight Findings and Recommendations .................... 3 

B. Statement of General Performance Goals and Objectives ................ 4 

C. Information Relating to Unfunded Mandates .................................... 4 

D. Congressional Earmarks, Limited Tax Benefits, and Limited Tariff 

Benefits ............................................................................................... 4 

E. Duplication of Federal Programs ........................................................ 4 

F. Disclosure of Directed Rule Makings .................................................. 4 

VI. CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW MADE BY THE BILL, AS REPORTED 4 


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I. SUMMARY AND BACKGROUND 

A. PURPOSE AND SUMMARY

H. Res. 1018 requests that the President transmit to the House 

of Representatives certain documents in the possession of the 

President relating to the determination to impose certain tariffs 

and to the strategy of the United States with respect to China. 

B. BACKGROUND

The Committee notes that there is strong bipartisan agreement 

in Congress that China’s unfair trade practices significantly harm 

U.S. farmers, workers, and businesses, and that strong action is 

needed to hold China accountable and level the playing field. 

USTR’s Section 301 Report earlier this year compiled compelling 

evidence of China’s unfair practices, inequitable treatment of U.S. 

companies, outright theft related to intellectual property, forced 

technology transfers, and unfair licensing policies. President 

Trump is right to insist that these abuses must stop. 

China cheats on trade, and there is a real cost in terms of U.S. 

jobs. The necessary resolution is long-term, enduring reform to China’s trade and investment policies, including changes to Chinese 

subsidies, tariffs, other trade barriers, and predatory intellectual 

property policies. Timely and astute negotiations under President 

Trump’s leadership and his personal engagement with President Xi 

are essential to achieving a negotiated solution that leads to a 

strong, ambitious, and enforceable outcome for the United States. 

As the United States works toward this outcome, it is important 

to target any response to China to minimize unintended consequences to local U.S. businesses. Broad tariffs can severely harm 

American companies, farmers, workers, and consumers. 

The Committee notes that Article I, Section 8 of the United 

States Constitution gives Congress the authority over international 

trade. Based on this Constitutional authority and the partnership 

that has developed over time between Congress and the President 

through legislation, the Committee’s expectation continues to be 

that all Administrations will engage in intensive consultation with 

Congress before taking action on any aspects of trade policy. This 

includes any actions taken with respect to tariffs, non-tariff barriers, trade negotiations (whether or not conducted under the 

framework set forth in the Bipartisan Congressional Trade 

Prirorites and Accountability Act of 2015), dispute settlement, and 

any other trade enforcement initiatives. 

C. LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

Background 

H. Res. 1018 was introduced by Representative Bill Pascrell on 

July 24, 2018, and was referred to the Committee on Ways and 

Means. 

Committee hearings 

The Committee held no hearings specifically on H. Res. 1018. 

However, the Committee has held several hearings during the 

115th Congress on the U.S. trade agenda and tariffs, including 


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with testimony from U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer 

and Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. 

Committee action 

The Committee on Ways and Means marked up H. Res. 1018 on 

September 5, 2018, and ordered the bill reported without recommendation (with a quorum being present) by a voice vote. 

II. EXPLANATION OF THE BILL 

H. Res. 1018 requests that the President transmit to the House 

of Representatives certain documents in the possession of the 

President relating to the determination to impose certain tariffs 

and to the strategy of the United States with respect to China. 

III. VOTES OF THE COMMITTEE 

In compliance with the Rules of the House of Representatives, 

the following statement is made concerning the vote of the Committee on Ways and Means during the markup consideration of H. 

Res. 1018, ‘‘Requesting the President to transmit to the House of 

Representatives certain documents in the possession of the President relating to the determination to impose certain tariffs and to 

the strategy of the United States with respect to China,’’ on September 5, 2018. 

The resolution was ordered transmitted to the House without 

recommendation by a voice vote. 

IV. BUDGET EFFECTS OF THE BILL 

A. COMMITTEE ESTIMATE OF BUDGETARY EFFECTS

Clause 3(d) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives is inapplicable. 

B. STATEMENT REGARDING NEW BUDGET AUTHORITY AND TAX

EXPENDITURES BUDGET AUTHORITY

Clause 3(c)(2) of rule XIII of the Rules of the House of Representatives is inapplicable. 

C. COST ESTIMATE PREPARED BY THE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET

OFFICE

In compliance with clause 3(c)(3) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 

House of Representatives, the Committee advises that the Congressional Budget Office did not provide a cost estimate for the resolution. 

V. OTHER MATTERS TO BE DISCUSSED UNDER THE 

RULES OF THE HOUSE 

A. COMMITTEE OVERSIGHT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

With respect to clause 3(c)(1) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 

House of Representatives, the Committee made findings and recommendations that are reflected in this report. 


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B. STATEMENT OF GENERAL PERFORMANCE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

With respect to clause 3(c)(4) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 

House of Representatives, the Committee advises that the resolution does not authorize funding, so no statement of general performance goals and objectives is required. 

C. INFORMATION RELATING TO UNFUNDED MANDATES

This information is provided in accordance with section 423 of 

the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (Pub. L. No. 104–4). 

The Committee has determined that the resolution does not contain Federal mandates on the private sector. The Committee has 

determined that the bill does not impose a Federal intergovernmental mandate on State, local, or tribal governments. 

D. CONGRESSIONAL EARMARKS, LIMITED TAX BENEFITS, AND

LIMITED TARIFF BENEFITS

With respect to clause 9 of rule XXI of the Rules of the House 

of Representatives, the Committee has carefully reviewed the provisions of the resolution, and states that the provisions of H. Res. 

1018 do not contain any congressional earmarks, limited tax benefits, or limited tariff benefits within the meaning of the rule. 

E. DUPLICATION OF FEDERAL PROGRAMS

In compliance with Sec. 3(g)(2) of H. Res. 5 (115th Congress), the 

Committee states that no provision of H. Res. 1018 establishes or 

reauthorizes: (1) a program of the Federal Government known to 

be duplicative of another Federal program; (2) a program included 

in any report from the Government Accountability Office to Congress pursuant to section 21 of Public Law 111–139; or (3) a program related to a program identified in the most recent Catalog of 

Federal Domestic Assistance, published pursuant to the Federal 

Program Information Act (Pub. L. No. 95–220, as amended by Pub. 

L. No. 98–169). 

F. DISCLOSURE OF DIRECTED RULE MAKINGS

In compliance with Sec. 3(i) of H. Res. 5 (115th Congress), the 

following statement is made concerning directed rule makings: The 

Committee estimates that H. Res. 1018 specifically directs to be 

completed no specific rule makings within the meaning of 5 U.S.C. 

Sec. 551. 

VI. CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW MADE BY THE BILL, AS 

REPORTED 

In compliance with clause 3(e) of rule XIII of the Rules of the 

House of Representatives, the Committee advises that H. Res. 1018 

would not make any changes to existing law. 

Æ 


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