S. 3808: Fighting Trade Cheats Act of 2026
A Senate bill (S.) in the 119th U.S. Congress.
Overview
| Congress | 119th U.S. Congress (2025–2026) |
|---|---|
| Type | Senate bill (S.) |
| Originating chamber | Senate |
| Introduced | 2026-02-09 |
| Sponsor | Sen. Britt, Katie Boyd [R-AL] |
| Policy area | Foreign Trade and International Finance |
| Cosponsors | 4 |
| Latest action | 2026-02-09 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance. |
| Last updated | 2026-07-30 |
Summary
Official summary (Introduced in Senate, 2026-02-09):
Fighting Trade Cheats Act of 2026
This bill increases penalties for, and establishes additional enforcement mechanisms related to, fraudulent and grossly negligent violations of U.S. customs laws.
Specifically, the bill increases the maximum civil penalty for a fraudulent violation to three times the domestic value of the merchandise. (Currently, the maximum penalty is the domestic value of the merchandise.) It prohibits a person who commits a fraudulent violation from importing merchandise into the United States for a five-year period.
Additionally, the bill increases the maximum civil penalty for a grossly negligent violation to the lesser of (1) 3 times the domestic value of the merchandise; or (2) 10 times the lawful duties, taxes, and fees. (Currently, the maximum penalty is the lesser of the domestic value of the merchandise or four times the lawful duties, taxes, and fees.) It prohibits a person who commits a grossly negligent violation from importing merchandise into the United States for a two-year period.
Further, the bill applies these importation bans to an affiliated person (e.g., a family member or employee) of the person who committed the fraudulent or grossly negligent violation.
The bill establishes a private right of action for an interested party (e.g., a manufacturer) affected by customs fraud or grossly negligent violations.
The bill prohibits any person (or an affiliated person) who commits a fraudulent or grossly negligent violation from participating in the U.S. Customs and Border Protection's Importer of Record program, and further requires revocation of their importer of record numbers.
Cosponsors (4)
| Name | Party / state |
|---|---|
| Tammy Baldwin | D WI (original cosponsor) 2026-02-09 |
| Thom Tillis | R NC (original cosponsor) 2026-02-09 |
| John Fetterman | D PA (original cosponsor) 2026-02-09 |
| David McCormick | R PA 2026-07-29 |
Full text & official record
The official bill text, section-by-section summary, amendments, committee reports, and the complete legislative timeline for S. 3808 are published by Congress on congress.gov.
View S. 3808 on congress.gov →
Frequently asked questions
What is S. 3808?
S. 3808 is a Senate bill (S.) introduced in the 119th U.S. Congress, originating in the Senate. Official title: Fighting Trade Cheats Act of 2026.
Where can I read the full bill text?
The full text, cosponsors, amendments, and legislative status for S. 3808 are available on congress.gov.
Bill data: congress.gov API (official congressional records).