Statement by U.S. Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker on Signing of the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015

U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker today released the following statement on the President’s signing of the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015.

“By providing the Administration with additional tools to ensure that foreign governments live up to the commitments made in trade agreements, and by supporting the enforcement of U.S. antidumping and countervailing duty laws, the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act legislation will help provide American businesses and workers the opportunity to compete on a level playing field in the global marketplace,” said Secretary Pritzker.

“Importantly, new authorities created by this bipartisan legislation will enhance the Department of Commerce’s ability to coordinate with U.S. Customs and Border Protection on AD/CVD enforcement efforts. The Department will also have access to the newly authorized Trade Enforcement Trust Fund that would make available resources dedicated to monitoring the implementation of bilateral and multilateral trade agreements by our trading partners and to engaging them in capacity building efforts in areas such as labor, environment, and intellectual property protection.”

The Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration leads the efforts to ensure fair and open trade at home and abroad through the rigorous enforcement of U.S. trade laws and agreements.