April 29, 2026
Mr. McCormick introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means
To require certain duties and covered import restrictions with respect to forestry products to be reduced by 50 percent if an importer of such product can demonstrate that such product contains 100 percent raw wood material originating in the United States, and for other purposes.
Section 1. Short title
This Act may be cited as the Forestry Protection Act of 2026
.
Sec. 2. Tariff reduction for goods containing 100 percent United States raw wood material
(a) In general
Each duty and covered import restriction imposed or modified on a finished forestry product pursuant to a covered trade law shall be reduced by 50 percent if the importer of such product demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection that such product contains 100 percent raw wood material originating in the United States.
(b) Directed rulemaking
Not later than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, in consultation with the United States Trade Representative, shall issue such regulations as necessary to implement this section, including procedures for verification and fraud prevention.
(c) Definitions
In this section:
(1) Covered import restriction
The term covered import restriction means a fee, other than a duty or other tariff, paid by an importer.
(2) Covered trade law
The term covered trade law means—
(A)
section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1338);
(B)
section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 (19 U.S.C. 1862);
(C)
section 122 or 301(b) of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2132 or 2411(b)); or
(D)
section 203 of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1702).
(3) Finished forestry product
The term finished forestry product means any article classified under subheadings 4408 through 4421 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States that has been manufactured, processed, or assembled outside the United States from raw wood material.
(4) Raw wood material
The term raw wood material means any product classified under subheadings 4401 through 4407 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule that has not undergone processing beyond sawing, chipping, or drying.
Sec. 3. Notification requirement for imposition or modification of duty or other import restriction pursuant to covered trade law
The Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1304 et seq.) is amended by adding after section 323 the following:
324. Notification requirement for imposition or modification of duty pursuant to covered trade law
(a) In general
With respect to a finished forestry product, the President may not impose or modify a duty or other import restriction pursuant to a covered trade law unless such imposition or modification is published in the Federal Register, as described under subsection (b), not less than 90 days before the effective date of such imposition or modification.
(b) Contents of notice
The notice required under subsection (a) shall include—
(1)
the rate or amount of the duty or other import restriction being imposed or modified;
(2)
a description of the covered trade law pursuant to which the duty or other import restriction is being imposed or modified;
(3)
each finished forestry product affected and its corresponding code under the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States;
(4)
the justification for the duty or other import restriction being imposed or modified; and
(5)
the proposed effective date of the duty or other import restriction being imposed or modified.
(c) Public comment
The notice required under subsection (a) shall provide a period of not less than 60 days during which interested parties may submit written comments to the President.
(d) Definitions
In this section:
(1) Covered import restriction
The term covered import restriction means a fee, other than a duty or other tariff, paid by an importer.
(2) Covered trade law
The term covered trade law means—
(A)
section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. 1338);
(B)
section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 (19 U.S.C. 1862);
(C)
section 122 or 301(b) of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2132 or 2411(b)); or
(D)
section 203 of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1702).
(3) Finished forestry product
The term finished forestry product means any article, that has been manufactured, processed, or assembled outside the United States from raw wood material, classifiable under the following codes of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States:
(A)
4401 (fuel wood, wood chips, sawdust, and wood pellets).
(B)
4402 (wood charcoal).
(C)
4403 (wood in the rough).
(D)
4404 (hoopwood, split poles, wooden stakes).
(E)
4405 (wood wool and wood flour).
(F)
4406 (railway or tramway sleepers of wood).
(G)
4407 (wood sawn or chipped lengthwise, including lumber).
(H)
4408 (sheets for veneering).
(I)
4409 (wood continuously shaped, including flooring and moldings).
(J)
4410 (particle board and oriented strand board).
(K)
4411 (fiberboard, including medium-density fiberboard).
(L)
4412 (plywood, veneered panels, and similar laminated wood).
(M)
4413 (densified wood).
(N)
4414 (wooden frames for paintings, photographs, mirrors, or similar objects).
(O)
4415 (packing cases, boxes, crates, drums, and similar packings of wood).
(P)
4416 (casks, barrels, vats, tubs, and other coopers’ products of wood).
(Q)
4417 (tools, tool bodies, tool handles, broom or brush bodies and handles of wood).
(R)
4418 (builders’ joinery and carpentry of wood).
(S)
4419 (tableware and kitchenware of wood).
(T)
4420 (wood marquetry and inlaid wood; caskets and cases for jewelry or cutlery; statuettes and other ornaments of wood).
(U)
4421 (other articles of wood).
(V)
4701 (mechanical wood pulp).
(W)
4702 (chemical wood pulp, dissolving grades).
(X)
4703 (chemical wood pulp, soda or sulfate).
(Y)
4704 (chemical wood pulp, sulfite).
(Z)
4705 (semichemical wood pulp).
(4) Raw wood material
The term raw wood material means any product classifiable under subheadings 4401 through 4407 of the Harmonized Tariff Schedule that has not undergone processing beyond sawing, chipping, or drying.