DETER Act of 2023

• •The President must submit an annual report certifying whether China has engaged in military aggression or coercion against Taiwan.
• •If the President cannot certify that China has refrained from such aggression, normal trade relations with China must be suspended 30 days after the report is submitted.
• •Upon suspension of normal trade relations, all Chinese products would be subject to 'column 2' tariff rates, which are generally higher than standard rates.
• •The President must consult with Congress at least 5 days before issuing a proclamation to increase tariff rates.
• •Normal trade relations can be restored if the President submits a subsequent report certifying that no such aggression occurred in the preceding year.
• •The Secretary of Commerce must conduct an annual assessment of U.S. supply chain reliance on Chinese goods critical to national security and economic stability.
• •The Commerce Department must publish an unclassified version of the supply chain assessment on a public website.
• •The President is granted authority to waive the trade suspension for one year if deemed in the national interest.
• •Members of Congress may submit written inquiries to the President between annual reports to verify the status of the most recent certification.
• •The bill cites a 178% increase in Chinese military aircraft incursions into Taiwan's Air Defense Identification Zone between 2021 and 2022.

If passed, this bill could lead to significant increases in tariffs on all goods imported from China if the President certifies that China has violated Taiwan's sovereignty, directly impacting the cost and availability of consumer goods in the United States.

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.