Lowering Input Costs for American Farmers Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 8583
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Foreign Trade and International Finance
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-04-29: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
- Last Updated
- 2026-05-15T08:08:02Z
AI-Generated Summary
H.R. 8583: Lowering Input Costs for American Farmers Act
Purpose
This bill aims to reduce costs for U.S. farmers by eliminating certain import taxes (duties) on phosphate fertilizers from Morocco, making these key agricultural inputs more affordable.
Key Provisions
- Short Title: "Lowering Input Costs for American Farmers Act."
- Prohibition on Duties (Section 2): Starting 7 days after enactment, no duties imposed under Section 122 (temporary balance-of-payments measures) or Section 301 (unfair trade practices) of the Trade Act of 1974 apply to phosphate fertilizers:
- Classified under headings 3103 or 3105 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTSUS, a system for categorizing imports for tariff purposes).
- Imported from Morocco.
- Overrides other laws, including the Tariff Act of 1930.
- Revocation of Countervailing Duties (Section 3):
- Effective 4 business days after enactment, revokes 2021 countervailing duty orders (taxes to offset foreign government subsidies) on phosphate fertilizers from Morocco (orders remain for Russia).
- Secretary of Commerce must stop collecting duties or cash deposits (except for duties finalized before revocation via administrative reviews).
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) must refund cash deposits for eligible Morocco imports within 90 days.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Blocks presidential authority to impose Section 122 or 301 duties on specified Moroccan phosphate imports.
- Immediately revokes and nullifies specific countervailing duty orders for Morocco, requiring refunds and halting collections—unusual direct congressional intervention in ongoing trade remedies.
Potential Impacts
- Farmers and Agriculture: Lowers fertilizer costs, potentially reducing expenses for U.S. crop production and benefiting food prices.
- Government Agencies: Burdens Commerce Department with implementation and CBP with refunds; shifts revenue loss from duties.
- Trade Relations: Strengthens U.S.-Morocco ties by favoring Moroccan exports; no direct effect on Russia.
- Economy: Increases phosphate fertilizer imports from Morocco, possibly pressuring domestic producers.
Main Stakeholders
- U.S. Farmers: Primary beneficiaries via cheaper inputs.
- Importers and Businesses: Gain from duty-free access and refunds.
- Moroccan Exporters: Expanded U.S. market access.
- U.S. Agencies: Department of Commerce (enforcement), CBP (refunds/collections).
- Domestic Fertilizer Industry: Potential competitors facing increased imports.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Congress asserts override of executive trade powers (Sections 122/301), potentially challenging separation of powers in trade policy.
- Constitutional: Relies on Congress's commerce clause authority to regulate imports; refunds may raise due process questions for prior collections.
- Political: Bipartisan farm-state support (introduced by Iowa Republicans); signals priority on agricultural costs amid trade tensions, could precedent future targeted exemptions.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Miller-Meeks, Mariannette [R-IA-1]
Cosponsors (2)
Rep. Hinson, Ashley [R-IA-2], Rep. Schmidt, Derek [R-KS-2]
Recent Actions
- 2026-04-29: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
- 2026-04-29: Introduced in House
- 2026-04-29: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Lowering Input Costs for American Farmers Act — issued 2026-04-29 — PDF (3 pages)