H.R. 3982 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the House, sent to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned, Jun 12, 2025
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryNew fund to help farmers hit by tariffs
This bill creates a special fund at the U.S. Treasury that collects money from tariffs on certain imported food and agricultural products. The Department of Agriculture would then use that money to pay farmers and ranchers who have been hurt by trade conflicts, such as when they lose export sales, face tariffs from other countries, or see their production costs rise. The fund would operate through September 2030.
How it affects you
If you're a farmer or rancher affected by trade-related losses, you could receive payments from this fund to help offset those losses. For others, this doesn't create a direct change to your daily life, though it does mean tariff revenue would be redirected to agricultural assistance rather than going elsewhere in the federal budget.
Read the official summary (Introduced in House, Jun 12, 2025)
This bill establishes the Tariff Response And Damages to Exports Fund within the Treasury, authorizes certain revenues collected from duties (e.g., tariffs) on certain agricultural products to be deposited into the fund, and requires the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to use the fund to make payments to agricultural producers affected by trade-related market disruptions.
Specifically, the bill authorizes the President to deposit into this fund any revenues collected from duties on imported products that are classified under Chapters 1-24 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (which includes, among other products, live animals, animal and vegetable products, seafood, prepared foodstuffs, and beverages).
USDA must use any amounts deposited into the fund to make payments to agricultural producers that have been affected by trade-related marketed disruptions, including losses USDA determines are due to (1) decreased exports, (2) tariff or non-tariff barriers imposed by foreign countries, or (3) increases in the costs of items and goods necessary for the production of agricultural commodities and livestock.
USDA must annually report to Congress on the total revenues transferred into the fund, the economic impacts on affected agricultural producers, and a summary of assistance provided to these agricultural producers.
The authorities provided by the bill terminate on September 30, 2030, and the bill permanently rescinds the unobligated balances of all amounts available in the fund as of this date.
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. 3982
A BILL
To establish a Tariff Response and Damages to Exports fund, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Julia Letlow (R-LA-5) · Introduced Jun 12, 2025 · Foreign Trade and International Finance · 1 version of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Jun 12, 2025: “Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Agriculture, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.”