H.R. 591 explained  ·  119th Congress  ·  Pending in Congress

Defending American Jobs and Investment Act

Create a free account or sign in to follow H.R. 591 and get alerts. Policy area: Foreign Trade and International Finance Create a free account or sign in to follow the Foreign Trade and International Finance policy area and get alerts. ▲ 637 days since action Sponsor: Jason Smith, MO-08, R → Congress.gov

Cosponsors: 25 (0 D, 25 R) · per Congress.gov, 2026-10-12

Introduced: 2025-01-21

Latest action (2025-01-21): Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, 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.

What H.R. 591 does, in plain terms

Defending American Jobs and Investment Act This bill provides for the enforcement of remedies against foreign countries that have extraterritorial or discriminatory taxes. Specifically, the bill requires the Department of the Treasury to periodically submit a report to Congress that lists each foreign country that has one or more extraterritorial or discriminatory taxes. Treasury must commence enhanced bilateral engagement with each foreign country included in the report. This engagement must (1) express the concern of the United States with respect to the adverse trade and economic effects of tax policies that violate bilateral tax treaties and international tax norms, (2) urge the repeal of extraterritorial and discriminatory taxes that target U.S. persons, and (3) advise the foreign country of remedial actions (as outlined by this bill). The bill increases income tax and withholding tax rates on certain foreign citizens, corporations, and partnerships of any foreign country listed in Treasury's report. The bill provides the executive branch with additional tools to enforce against extraterritorial and discriminatory taxes. These tools include authorizing the President to prohibit government contracting for or procurement of goods or services from a foreign country listed in Treasury's report, directing Treasury to consider these taxes in assessing whether to enter into or update a bilateral tax treaty with the foreign country, and requiring the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and the Department of Commerce to consider these taxes in assessing whether to enter into any free trade agreement or executive agreement with the foreign country.

Official summary by the Congressional Research Service, via Congress.gov.

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