DOJ creates task force to stop tariff evasion and smuggling.

What it does

The bill creates a new task force in the Department of Justice. It investigates and prosecutes trade crimes. These crimes include tariff evasion, smuggling, trade-based money laundering, and violations of import and export laws. The DOJ must hire new prosecutors and staff. It must work with other federal agencies and trading partners. It must send yearly reports to Congress about enforcement work and funding needs.

Who it affects

Consumers benefit from enforcement against counterfeit goods and unsafe imports. Domestic workers benefit when the task force stops tariff evasion. Law enforcement agencies gain new resources and partnerships.

One thing to notice

The bill directs DOJ to prosecute under 17 existing criminal laws. It does not change those laws. Enforcement scope depends on how DOJ uses its resources.

From the analysis of the bill text, linked under Primary records below.

Where it stands

44 cosponsors: 27 Democrats, 16 Republicans, 1 Independents.

• Mar 5, 2025 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in House”
• Mar 5, 2025 — Referred to House Committee on the Judiciary · Congress.gov: “Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary”
• Jun 3, 2026 — Markup held in committee · Congress.gov: “Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held”
• Jun 3, 2026 — Reported out of committee · Congress.gov: “Ordered to be Reported (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 23 - 0”
• Aug 31, 2026 — Passed the House · Congress.gov: “On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended Agreed to by voice vote”
• Aug 31, 2026 — Floor vote scheduled · Congress.gov: “Mr. Schmidt moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill, as amended”

Dates and quoted wording are Congress.gov's action record; the timeline shows status changes, not every procedural step.

Money around this bill

2 groups reported lobbying about this bill. They filed 3 reports from Dec 2025 to Jun 2026.

Those reports show $1,550,000 in lobbying spending. Each report lists about 94 bills. So that money was not all for this bill.

More groups named this bill than 41% of bills with any report.

Ashley Hinson, who sponsored the bill, received $954,500 from PACs for the 2026 election.

• AFL-CIO — $1,520,000 in 2 reports
• American Foundry Society — $30,000 in 1 report

Lobbying is legal. These reports show who lobbied about this bill, not what changed.

Words to know

• tariff evasion — illegally avoiding taxes on imported goods.
• smuggling — illegally bringing goods into a country without paying required taxes.
• trade-based money laundering — using fake import and export deals to hide illegal money.
• Department of Justice — the federal agency that enforces U.S. laws and prosecutes crimes.
• task force — a group of people brought together to work on one problem.
• lobbying — Trying to influence lawmakers about a bill. Companies and groups pay people to do this.