PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Feb 27, 2025
Undertaking Negotiations on Investment and Trade for Economic Dynamism Act or the UNITED Act
This bill grants certain authorities to the President for entering into a comprehensive trade agreement between the United States and the United Kingdom (UK).
Specifically, the bill directs the President to seek to initiate negotiations with the UK regarding tariff and nontariff barriers affecting any industry, product, or service sector.
The bill authorizes the President to enter into a comprehensive trade agreement with the UK, with such authority expiring on March 1, 2029. Further, the President may proclaim a modification or continuance of any existing duty or a continuance of existing excise or duty-free treatment to carry out an agreement, with certain limitations.
The bill also requires the President to consult with and notify Congress regarding the intention of the President to enter into an agreement or make a proclamation.
People & committees
Rep. Smith, Adrian [R-NE-3] · R–NE
Legislative record
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Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We also preserved the text version used in the PlainBill explanation below.
Source last updated: Dec 5, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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PlainBill explanation
Based on the full Introduced in House · 2025-02-27 text. This explanation has not received human editorial review. This overview describes the proposal’s major provisions; it does not establish what its real-world effects would be.
The proposed UNITED Act would require the President to seek trade negotiations with the United Kingdom and allow a comprehensive agreement addressing import taxes and other trade barriers. It would affect trade in goods and services between the countries, with limits on presidential changes to import taxes. Congress would receive consultation and notification, and qualifying legislation to implement an agreement would use specified congressional procedures. The authority to enter an agreement would end on March 1, 2029.
This Act may be cited as the Undertaking Negotiations on Investment and Trade for Economic Dynamism Act or the UNITED Act.
the President shall seek to initiate negotiations with the United Kingdom regarding tariff and nontariff barriers affecting any industry, product, or service sector.
The authority under paragraph (1) terminates on March 1, 2029.
The provisions of section 151 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2191) apply to a bill of either House of Congress that contains provisions described in subparagraph (B) to the same extent as such section 151 applies to implementing bills under that section.
the President shall consult with Congress before and throughout negotiations initiated under subsection (a) and shall notify Congress of the intention of the President to enter into an agreement under subsection (b) or to make a proclamation under subsection (c).
No proclamation may be made under paragraph (1) that—
(iii) increases any rate of duty above the rate that applied on the date of the enactment of this Act.
Section 2 states Congress's proposed policy views: closer trade with allies should improve economic opportunities, and a comprehensive United Kingdom agreement should strengthen supply chains and create export opportunities. These are stated expectations, not demonstrated results.
It is the sense of Congress that—
(1) the United States should pursue more open trade and investment relationships with its allies to strengthen the economy of the United States, improve the standard of living of the people of the United States, and advance the strategic interests of the United States;
(4) a high-standard, comprehensive trade agreement between the United States and the United Kingdom would help strengthen that relationship, improve the economic prospects of people in both countries, increase the resilience of critical supply chains, support collaboration in emerging technologies, and create export opportunities for businesses of all sizes;
The proposed statement of congressional views says the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement's standards should inform future negotiations. It also says United Kingdom negotiations must honor the April 10, 1998 Good Friday Agreement and that a trade agreement must advance peace, stability, and prosperity in Ireland and Northern Ireland.
It is the sense of Congress that—
(8) Congress passed the Agreement between the United States of America, the United Mexican States, and Canada (USMCA) with overwhelming bipartisan support, setting high standards in North America with respect to labor rights, the environment, intellectual property, non-market practices, and services, and those standards should inform future negotiations;
(10) any trade negotiations between the United States and the United Kingdom must honor the agreement between the Government of Ireland and the Government of the United Kingdom signed on April 10, 1998 (commonly known as the Good Friday Agreement), and any trade agreement between those countries must advance peace, stability, and prosperity in Ireland and Northern Ireland;
Within 180 days after enactment, the President would have to seek to start negotiations covering import taxes and other trade barriers in any industry, product, or service sector. This requires seeking negotiations; it does not require completing an agreement within that period.
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, in order to enhance the economic well-being of the United States, the President shall seek to initiate negotiations with the United Kingdom regarding tariff and nontariff barriers affecting any industry, product, or service sector.
The President could enter a comprehensive trade agreement with the United Kingdom. That authority would terminate on March 1, 2029.
To strengthen the economic competitiveness of the United States, the President may enter into a comprehensive trade agreement with the United Kingdom regarding tariff and nontariff barriers affecting trade between the United States and United Kingdom.
The authority under paragraph (1) terminates on March 1, 2029.
Subject to the bill's limits, the President could issue proclamations changing or continuing import taxes, maintaining duty-free treatment or excise-tax treatment, or imposing additional import taxes when considered required or appropriate to carry out an authorized agreement. Excise taxes are taxes on particular goods or activities.
Subject to paragraph (2), the President may proclaim such modification or continuance of any existing duty, continuance of existing duty-free or excise treatment, or such additional duties as the President determines to be required or appropriate to carry out an agreement entered into under subsection (b).
A proclamation generally could not cut an import-tax rate below half its rate on the enactment date. Rates that were no more than 5 percent of the imported item's value on that date would be exempt from this particular limit.
No proclamation may be made under paragraph (1) that— (i) reduces any rate of duty (other than a rate of duty that does not exceed 5 percent ad valorem on the date of the enactment of this Act) to a rate of duty that is less than 50 percent of the rate of such duty that applies on such date of enactment;
For agricultural products classified as import sensitive, a proclamation could not lower import taxes below the rates applicable under the Uruguay Round Agreements or a successor agreement. The supplied text does not identify those products or rates.
No proclamation may be made under paragraph (1) that—
(ii) reduces the rate of duty below that applicable under the Uruguay Round Agreements (as defined in section 2(7) of the Uruguay Round Agreements Act (19 U.S.C. 3501)) or a successor agreement, on any import sensitive agricultural product;
A proclamation could not raise any import-tax rate above its rate on the enactment date.
No proclamation may be made under paragraph (1) that—
(iii) increases any rate of duty above the rate that applied on the date of the enactment of this Act.
The proclamation authority would exclude substantial changes or additions described in the bill as being to an agreement entered into after March 1, 2029. The wording does not clearly establish a separate deadline for modifying an agreement entered into before that date.
Substantial modifications to, or substantial additional provisions of, an agreement entered into after March 1, 2029, are not covered by the authority under paragraph (1).
The President would have to consult Congress before and throughout negotiations and notify Congress of an intention to enter an agreement or issue an implementing proclamation.
the President shall consult with Congress before and throughout negotiations initiated under subsection (a) and shall notify Congress of the intention of the President to enter into an agreement under subsection (b) or to make a proclamation under subsection (c).
Qualifying implementation legislation would use the congressional procedures in section 151 of the Trade Act of 1974. It would approve the agreement and any proposed statement explaining administrative implementation. If legal changes were needed, its legislative changes would be limited to those strictly necessary or appropriate to implement the agreement.
The provisions of section 151 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S.C. 2191) apply to a bill of either House of Congress that contains provisions described in subparagraph (B) to the same extent as such section 151 applies to implementing bills under that section.
(i) a provision approving a trade agreement entered into under this section and approving the statement of administrative action, if any, proposed to implement such trade agreement;
(ii) if changes in existing laws or new statutory authority are required to implement such trade agreement, only such provisions as are strictly necessary or appropriate to implement such trade agreement, either repealing or amending existing laws or providing new statutory authority.
Eligibility for those congressional procedures would cover implementation bills for agreements entered into before March 1, 2029. Although the subsection is titled “Deadline for submission of bill,” its operative wording attaches that date to entering the agreement.
(2) Deadline for submission of bill The procedures under paragraph (1) apply to implementing bills submitted with respect to a trade agreement entered into under this section before March 1, 2029.
An agreement could not be waived, suspended, or terminated for the United States, in whole or in part, without express congressional approval. The provision describes the required approval as approval of “such termination,” even though its restriction also covers waiver and suspension.
An agreement entered into under this section shall not be waived, suspended, or terminated, in whole or in part, with respect to the United States without the express approval by Congress of such termination.
Before an agreement could take effect for the United States or its implementation bill could qualify for the specified congressional procedures, requirements incorporated from the 2015 trade-authority law would have to be met. These cover negotiating objectives, congressional oversight, consultation, notification, reporting, implementation, and sovereignty. This condition would also apply to agreements requiring no changes to United States law, despite the expiration of the referenced negotiating authority.
An agreement under this section shall not enter into force with respect to the United States and an implementing bill shall not qualify for trade authorities procedures under subsection (e), including an agreement that does not require changes to United States law or an implementing bill in connection therewith, unless the following requirements under the Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015 (19 U.S.C. 4201 et seq.) are carried out with respect to that agreement or implementing bill to the same extent as would be required of an agreement entered into under section 103(b) of that Act (19 U.S.C. 4202(b)), notwithstanding the expiration of authority to enter into an agreement under such section 103(b):
(1) The trade negotiating objectives under section 102 of that Act (19 U.S.C. 4201). (2) The congressional oversight and consultation requirements under section 104 of that Act (19 U.S.C. 4203). (3) The notification, consultation, and reporting requirements under section 105 of that Act (19 U.S.C. 4204). (4) The implementation procedures under section 106 of that Act (19 U.S.C. 4205). (5) The provisions related to sovereignty under section 108 of that Act (19 U.S.C. 4207).
The supplied official-actions snapshot, updated December 5, 2025, records introduction in the House and referral to the Ways and Means and Rules committees on February 27, 2025. It supplies no later action.
Source snapshot updated 2025-12-05T22:01:21Z.
2025-02-27: Introduced in House
2025-02-27: Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
A closer look
Reviewed version: Introduced in House · 2025-02-27. These findings describe provisions and who may benefit; they are not judgments of waste, corruption, or motive.
This review covers the supplied bill text. “None identified” does not rule out provisions in later versions or accompanying reports and disclosures.
Provisions outside the bill’s main subject, or policy changes attached to appropriations.
None identified in the reviewed text
No unrelated provision or policy change attached to appropriations was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion does not establish absence in other versions or accompanying materials.
Spending directed to particular recipients or places outside ordinary competitive or formula-based allocation.
None identified in the reviewed text
No congressionally directed spending for particular recipients or places was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion is limited to that version and does not establish formal earmark status in absent accompanying materials.
Narrow exceptions, exemptions, or preferential treatment that warrant a closer look.
Findings to examine
The supplied text contains a sector-specific protection within its tariff authority. Classification identifies special treatment, not its justification or economic effect.
Import-sensitive agricultural products would receive a special tariff floor in addition to the generally applicable limit on tariff reductions. This would preserve specified tariff protection for the domestic agricultural producers competing with those imports. The text does not identify the particular products or producers.
No proclamation may be made under paragraph (1) that— (i) reduces any rate of duty (other than a rate of duty that does not exceed 5 percent ad valorem on the date of the enactment of this Act) to a rate of duty that is less than 50 percent of the rate of such duty that applies on such date of enactment;
(ii) reduces the rate of duty below that applicable under the Uruguay Round Agreements (as defined in section 2(7) of the Uruguay Round Agreements Act (19 U.S.C. 3501)) or a successor agreement, on any import sensitive agricultural product;
Full text preserved for this analysis. Legislative record snapshot: Dec 5, 2025. How PlainBill uses AI