I 
115TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 5611 
To prohibit the importation into the United States of paper products that 
are not manufactured in accordance with requirements that are at least 
as stringent as the requirements under the Clean Air Act and the 
Federal Water Pollution Control Act. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 25, 2018 
Mr. DEFAZIO introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Ways and Means 
A BILL 
To prohibit the importation into the United States of paper 
products that are not manufactured in accordance with 
requirements that are at least as stringent as the re-
quirements under the Clean Air Act and the Federal 
Water Pollution Control Act. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
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SECTION 1. PROHIBITION ON IMPORTATION OF PAPER 
PRODUCTS NOT MANUFACTURED IN ACCORD-
ANCE WITH REQUIREMENTS AT LEAST AS 
STRINGENT AS REQUIREMENTS UNDER THE 
CLEAN AIR ACT AND FEDERAL WATER POL-
LUTION CONTROL ACT. 
(a) PROHIBITION.—It is unlawful for any person to 
import or deliver for importation into the United States 
any paper product if— 
(1) the paper product’s labeling does not in-
clude an official certification from each manufac-
turer of the paper product certifying that said paper 
product was manufactured in accordance with— 
(A) requirements relating to air pollution 
that are at least as stringent as the require-
ments under the Clean Air Act (42 U.S.C. 7401 
et seq.); and 
(B) requirements relating to water pollu-
tion that are at least as stringent as the re-
quirements under the Federal Water Pollution 
Control Act (33 U.S.C. 1251 et seq.); or 
(2) the Administrator of the Environmental 
Protection Agency finds that the paper product was 
not manufactured in accordance with requirements 
at least as stringent as the requirements described 
in subparagraph (A) and (B) of paragraph (1). 
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(b) PENALTIES AND ENFORCEMENT.—Any person 
who violates any provision of this section or any regulation 
issued under this section may, in addition to any other 
civil or criminal penalty that may be imposed under title 
18, United States Code, or any other provision of law, be 
assessed a civil penalty of not more than $10,000,000 per 
transgression. The Secretary of Homeland Security and 
the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agen-
cy shall enforce the provisions of this section. 
(c) DEFINITIONS.—In this section— 
(1) the term ‘‘paper product’’ means an article 
classified under any heading or subheading of chap-
ter 47 or 48 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of 
the United States; and 
(2) the term ‘‘United States’’ means the cus-
toms territory of the United States, as defined in 
general note 2 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of 
the United States. 
Æ 
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