Ron Wyden (D-OR)
Speedy Tariff Refund Act of 2026
A Democratic bill with 4 Democratic cosponsors · See all 4 cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Speedy Tariff Refund Act of 2026 aims to provide refunds for duties imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. Following a Supreme Court holding that these duties were unlawful, the bill directs the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection to issue refunds with interest. These refunds are to be processed automatically for each importer of a covered article. The bill instructs the Commissioner to prioritize payments to small business concerns. Additionally, it prohibits requiring importers to make explicit requests or submit documentation to receive these funds.
Yes· 3 of 6
- Scored +7
Would business owners be better off under this?
The bill provides automatic refunds of duties and prioritizes payments to small business concerns.
- Scored +7
Does this make it easier to run a small business?
The bill mandates that the Commissioner prioritize refund payments to small business concerns.
- Scored +3
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?
The bill encourages the passing of refunds to families impacted by previous duty-related price increases.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Automatic Refunds with Interest: The Commissioner must automatically refund all duties imposed under the International Emergency de Economic Powers Act, plus interest, within 30 days of the Act's enactment (Section 3(a)). This ensures people get their money back quickly without having to fight for it.
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Reduced Bureaucratic Burden: The Commissioner is prohibited from requiring importers to make an explicit request or submit documentation to receive the refund (Section 3(d)). This removes the hurdle of paperwork that often slows down getting money back from the government.
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Support for Small Businesses: The bill directs the Commissioner to prioritize the payment of refunds to small business concerns to the extent practicable (Section 3(c)). This helps smaller entities that may have been disproportionately hindered by the flawed CAPE system (Section 2(3)).
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Consumer Relief: It is suggested that importers, wholesalers, and larger businesses should pass these refunds on to customers, including small businesses and families who were impacted by the duties (Section 2(4)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No specific negative impacts are mentioned in the provided text.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would business owners be better off under this? — The bill provides automatic refunds of duties and prioritizes payments to small business concerns. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The bill encourages the passing of refunds to families impacted by previous duty-related price increases. Would middle-income households be better off under this? — The bill facilitates the return of funds to families who were impacted by higher costs from these duties.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this make it easier to run a small business? — The bill mandates that the Commissioner prioritize refund payments to small business concerns. Is this likely to grow the economy? — The bill injects capital back into the economy by providing rapid refunds of unlawfully collected duties.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill automates the refund process to reduce administrative hurdles and complexity.
- 5/14/2026
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- 4/21/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
Kirsten GillibrandDemocrat · New York
Edward MarkeyDemocrat · Massachusetts
John ReedDemocrat · Rhode Island
Jeanne ShaheenDemocrat · New Hampshire