Reps. Panetta and Valadao Introduce the Bipartisan China Trade Cheating Restitution Act; Over $10.5 million in garlic import duties are still owed to producers

WASHINGTON, DC – On Monday, December 13 Reps. Jimmy Panetta (D-Carmel Valley) and David G. Valadao (D- San Joaquin Valley) introduced the China Trade Cheating Restitution Act to ensure that the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency (CBP) distributes the remaining antidumping duties to U.S. garlic, honey, and crawfish producers that weren’t paid by the agencies between 2000 and 2014. Under the Continued Dumping and Subsidy Offset Act of 2000 (CDSOA), CBP still owes garlic producers, which both Reps. Panetta and Valadao represent, an additional $10.5 million in retroactive duties. These producers have suffered years of abusive dumping practices by China and are owed that amount in restitution that was wrongly kept from them by CBP. “Since 2000, the federal government has collected dumping duties on Chinese garlic imports, but has failed to pay the required restitution to the impacted producers,” said Congressman Panetta. “The bipartisan legislation that I authored and introduced with my Californian colleague, David Valadao, will right this wrong by requiring CBP to pay all collected duties and their interest to those in agriculture that deserve it. By dumping garlic into our market, Chinese importers have long inflicted serious economic harm, especially, on our California producers. With this legislation, we are ensuring that the federal government lives up to its responsibilities not only to prevent dumping, but also to provide the proper remedy to our producers of American agriculture.” “The U.S. Customs and Border Protection has a legal responsibility to distribute all antidumping duties and interest to those facing unfair foreign competition, and it is unacceptable for the agency to withhold more than a decade’s worth of collected interest from these producers,” said Congressman G. Valadao. “I am happy to work across the aisle with Rep. Panetta to support our domestic industries and address this truly bipartisan issue. It is critical Congress works together to ensure these producers receive the payments they are due.” “Congressman Panetta and Congressman Valadao understand the difficulties that California agriculture is presented with every day and have been there to support us when needed,” said Bill Christopher, Managing Partner, Christopher Ranch. “The China Trade Cheating Restitution Act they are introducing will require U.S. customs to distribute to our Country’s fresh garlic, honey, canned mushrooms, and crawfish tail meat, interest money that the agency withheld from 2001-2014. Christopher Ranch greatly appreciates their leadership on this important legislation.” “Fresh garlic producers have been severely injured by Chinese trade cheating and Customs and Border Protection’s denial of the funds they are entitled to in order rebuild,” said John Layous, Co-Owner, The Garlic Company. “The legislation that Congressman Panetta and Valadao are introducing helps set things right. The Garlic Company applauds their efforts on behalf of the fresh garlic industry and other similarly situated American agriculture producers.”