CRS Report, §301 Authority, History, Trump-Era Use, and Reform Options

A CRS report surveys §301 of the Trade Act of 1974, detailing USTR's authority to investigate and retaliate against foreign trade practices, and documenting the Trump Administration's unilateral tariff actions-primarily against China-marking a departure from WTO-channeled enforcement. Congress is weighing reforms including mandatory consultation requirements, formal exclusion processes, and expanded...