H.R. 1840 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the House, sent to the Committee on Ways and Means, Mar 4, 2025
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryEnds tariff-free treatment for low-value imports
Right now, small shipments from abroad—under $800 per package—can enter the U.S. without paying tariffs or taxes. This bill would end that break immediately for goods from China and phase it out for all other countries after 120 days. During those 120 days, the Treasury Department would work on new rules to track these shipments and collect taxes properly, including figuring out how to handle packages coming through the mail.
How it affects you
If you buy items online from foreign sellers, small packages that once arrived duty-free may now face tariffs and taxes, making them more expensive. People and businesses that rely on importing lower-value goods would see changes in their costs and how shipments are processed.
Read the official summary (Introduced in House, Mar 4, 2025)
Closing the De Minimis Loophole Act
This bill immediately terminates de minimis treatment for goods originating in China and phases out such treatment for goods originating from all other countries. (Current law allows for U.S. imports under a de minimis threshold of $800 per shipment to enter free of tariffs, fees, and taxes.)
Specifically, de minimis treatment ends (1) with respect to goods from China, beginning on the bill's enactment date (with an exception for goods already loaded onto a vessel or in transit during the three-day period that ends on the enactment date); and (2) with respect to goods from any other country, 120 days after the bill's enactment.
During the 120-day period beginning on the date of the bill's enactment, the Department of the Treasury must carry out a rulemaking process. Among other elements, the rulemaking process must ensure that data requirements and entry procedures for informal modes of entry are sufficient to ensure the effective enforcement of U.S. laws and the efficient and accurate collection of duties, fees, and taxes.
The bill directs Treasury, in the case of shipments sent through the international postal network, to determine appropriate fees and procedures to ensure consistency between the treatment of shipments by the U.S. Postal Service and other shipments.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionH. R. 1840
A BILL
Closing the De Minimis Loophole Act
Sponsor: Rep. Linda T. Sánchez (D-CA-38) · Introduced Mar 4, 2025 · Foreign Trade and International Finance · 1 version of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Mar 4, 2025: “Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.”