Calling for a trade policy that supports workers, consumers, independent farmers, small businesses, and the environment.

Bill Number

H.Res. 1286

Origin Chamber

House

Congress

119th Congress, Session 2

Policy Area

Foreign Trade and International Finance

Status

Introduced

Latest Action

2026-05-14: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Last Updated

2026-07-01T08:08:32Z

AI-Generated Summary

Summary of H. Res. 1286

Purpose of the Legislation

This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that U.S. trade policy should prioritize support for workers, consumers, independent farmers, small businesses, and the environment. It rejects both the corporate-focused trade models of the past and the current administration's approach, calling instead for agreements that promote fair wages, domestic production, environmental protections, and national security.

Key Provisions Outlined

The resolution outlines a series of policy recommendations through multiple "sense of the House" statements, including:

• Labor and environmental standards: Trade agreements must include strong, binding labor and environmental rules with enforcement mechanisms, fair wage guarantees, and requirements for corporations to meet wage floors to prevent offshoring.
• Domestic procurement and manufacturing: Strengthen "Buy America" rules, limit waivers, and ensure products like steel are produced domestically; public investments should favor U.S. workers.
• Anti-offshoring measures: Penalize companies for moving production overseas through trade and tax policies, prioritize U.S. investments, and maintain a fully funded Trade Adjustment Assistance Program for displaced workers.
• Environmental protections: Require robust standards to limit pollution, treat intellectual property theft as a trade violation, and exclude investor-state dispute settlement systems that could undermine public policies.
• Public health and agriculture: Prioritize affordable medicines without monopoly protections; support independent farmers through country-of-origin labeling, limits on subsidies for large producers, and respect for national food safety standards.
• Digital economy: Protect data privacy, right-to-repair policies, artificial intelligence regulation, and workers' rights in digital sectors without constraining government oversight.
• Tariffs and enforcement: Maintain and strengthen tariffs under existing laws (such as section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 and section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974) to support domestic jobs; fully enforce antidumping and countervailing duties.
• Transparency and congressional role: Negotiations must be transparent, with Congress approving any agreements that alter U.S. policies.

Significant Changes to Existing Law Introduced

As a non-binding resolution, this measure does not amend existing statutes. However, it urges reinforcement of current trade tools, such as expanding enforcement of labor and environmental provisions in agreements like the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement and limiting loopholes in trade preference programs. It emphasizes conditioning market access on job creation and strengthening domestic content requirements across federal spending.

Potential Impacts on Government Agencies, Citizens, or International Relations

• Government agencies: Could lead to increased funding and activity for bodies like the Department of Labor's International Labor Affairs Bureau and trade enforcement offices to monitor compliance and assist workers.
• Citizens: May benefit workers and consumers through higher wages and better protections but could raise costs for imported goods if tariffs expand.
• International relations: Signals a shift toward more protective trade stances, potentially straining negotiations with trading partners over standards enforcement and investor protections while aiming to reduce reliance on overseas supply chains.

Main Stakeholders Affected

• Workers and unions (through labor standards and anti-offshoring rules).
• Independent farmers and rural communities (via labeling and subsidy reforms).
• Small businesses and domestic manufacturers (benefiting from procurement preferences).
• Consumers (via access to affordable goods and medicines).
• Environmental advocates and public health groups.
• Large corporations (facing new accountability measures).
• Congress and executive agencies involved in trade policy.

Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications

The resolution highlights Congress's constitutional authority over trade by calling for votes on any binding agreements and rejecting executive overreach in tariff decisions. It underscores potential conflicts with international agreements that include investor protections or weak enforcement, while promoting policies that could align with broader industrial strategies to rebuild domestic capacity.

This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.

Sponsor

Rep. DeLauro, Rosa L. [D-CT-3]

Cosponsors (38)

Rep. Dingell, Debbie [D-MI-6], Rep. Lynch, Stephen F. [D-MA-8], Rep. Deluzio, Christopher R. [D-PA-17], Rep. Khanna, Ro [D-CA-17], Rep. Hoyle, Val T. [D-OR-4], Rep. Waters, Maxine [D-CA-43], Rep. Riley, Josh [D-NY-19], Rep. Mrvan, Frank J. [D-IN-1], Rep. Norcross, Donald [D-NJ-1], Rep. Boyle, Brendan F. [D-PA-2], Rep. Kaptur, Marcy [D-OH-9], Rep. Pocan, Mark [D-WI-2], Rep. Schakowsky, Janice D. [D-IL-9], Rep. Velázquez, Nydia M. [D-NY-7], Rep. Budzinski, Nikki [D-IL-13], Rep. Cleaver, Emanuel [D-MO-5], Rep. Balint, Becca [D-VT-At Large], Rep. Grijalva, Adelita S. [D-AZ-7], Rep. McGovern, James P. [D-MA-2], Rep. Thompson, Bennie G. [D-MS-2], Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, Alexandria [D-NY-14], Rep. Scanlon, Mary Gay [D-PA-5], Rep. Casar, Greg [D-TX-35], Rep. Tonko, Paul [D-NY-20], Rep. Scott, Robert C. "Bobby" [D-VA-3], Rep. Stevens, Haley M. [D-MI-11], Rep. Morelle, Joseph D. [D-NY-25], Rep. García, Jesús G. "Chuy" [D-IL-4], Rep. Jackson, Jonathan L. [D-IL-1], Rep. Watson Coleman, Bonnie [D-NJ-12], Rep. Simon, Lateefah [D-CA-12], Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large], Rep. DeSaulnier, Mark [D-CA-10], Rep. McCollum, Betty [D-MN-4], Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7], Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9], Rep. Tokuda, Jill N. [D-HI-2], Rep. Dean, Madeleine [D-PA-4]

Recent Actions

• 2026-05-14: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
• 2026-05-14: Submitted in House

Bill Versions

• Calling for a trade policy that supports workers, consumers, independent farmers, small businesses, and the environment. — issued 2026-05-14 — PDF (12 pages)