I 
115TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6923 
To require congressional approval of certain trade remedies, and for other 
purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 26, 2018 
Mr. SANFORD (for himself and Mr. COOPER) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addi-
tion to the Committee on Rules, for a period to be subsequently deter-
mined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions 
as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
A BILL 
To require congressional approval of certain trade remedies, 
and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Promoting Responsible 
and Free Trade Act’’. 
SEC. 2. APPROVAL FOR REMEDY ACTIONS BY THE UNITED 
STATES TRADE REPRESENTATIVE. 
Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 
2411) is amended as follows: 
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(1) MANDATORY ACTION.—In the matter fol-
lowing subsection (a)(1)(B)(ii), by striking ‘‘shall 
take action authorized in subsection (c)’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘shall propose, in accordance with subsection 
(d), action authorized under subsection (c)’’. 
(2) DISCRETIONARY
ACTION.—In subsection 
(b)(2), by striking ‘‘shall take all appropriate and 
feasible action authorized under subsection (c)’’ and 
inserting ‘‘shall propose, in accordance with sub-
section (d), appropriate and feasible action author-
ized under subsection (c)’’. 
(3) 
CONGRESSIONAL
DISAPPROVAL
PROCE-
DURES.—By redesignating subsection (d) as sub-
section (e) and inserting after subsection (c) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(d) 
CONGRESSIONAL
DISAPPROVAL
PROCE-
DURES.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Trade Representative 
shall submit to the Committee on Ways and Means 
of the House of Representatives and to the Com-
mittee on Finance of the Senate a report describing 
and justifying a determination pursuant to sub-
section (a) or (b) of this section and specifying the 
proposed action authorized under subsection (c). The 
Trade Representative shall also include in such re-
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port, as appropriate, any specific direction of the 
President relating to such proposed action and any 
other action within the power of the President that 
the President, as provided for in subsection (a), may 
have directed the Trade Representative to take with 
respect to such determination. 
‘‘(2) ENTRY INTO FORCE.— 
‘‘(A) 
JOINT
RESOLUTION
OF
DIS-
APPROVAL.—An action proposed in accordance 
with paragraph (1) shall take effect on the date 
that is 60 days after the date of the submission 
of the report required by paragraph (1) unless, 
within such 60 day window, Congress enacts a 
joint resolution, the matter after the resolving 
clause of which is as follows: ‘That the Con-
gress does not approve the action proposed by 
the Trade Representative under section 301 of 
the Trade Act of 1974 submitted to the Con-
gress on lllll.’, the blank space being 
filled with the appropriate date. 
‘‘(B) PROCEDURES APPLIED.—The provi-
sions of section 152 shall apply to resolutions 
described in subsection (a).’’. 
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SEC. 3. APPROVAL FOR REMEDY ACTION RELATING TO 
POSITIVE ADJUSTMENTS TO IMPORT COM-
PETITION. 
Section 202 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 
2252) is amended as follows: 
(1) INITIAL
SUBMISSION
TO
CONGRESS.—In 
subsection (f)— 
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘shall 
submit to the President’’ and inserting ‘‘shall 
submit to the Committee on Ways and Means 
of the House of Representatives and the Com-
mittee on Finance of the Senate’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘submit-
ting a report to the President’’ and inserting 
‘‘submitting a report to the Committees’’. 
(2) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—In the mat-
ter following subsection (c)(2)(B), by striking ‘‘to 
the President under subsection (e)’’ and inserting 
‘‘under subsection (f)’’. 
(3) 
CONGRESSIONAL
DISAPPROVAL
PROCE-
DURES.—By adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(j) ENTRY INTO FORCE.— 
‘‘(1) JOINT
RESOLUTION
OF
DISAPPROVAL.— 
On the date that is 60 days after the date of the 
submission of a report under subsection (f), the 
Commission shall submit such report to the Presi-
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