Trade-Related Agencies: FY2026 Appropriations, Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS)

Trade-Related Agencies: FY2026 Appropriations, Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS)

Trade-Related Agencies: FY2026 Appropriations, Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS)

November 19, 2025 (R48733)
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Contents

Background

FY2026 Appropriations

International Trade Administration (ITA)

Global Markets

Enforcement and Compliance

Industry and Analysis

U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC)

Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR)

Selected Trade-Related Programs and Activities

China Trade Enforcement and Compliance Activities, ITA

Travel and Tourism Activities, ITA

Rural Export Center, ITA

Trade Enforcement Trust Fund, USTR

Figures

Figure 1. Trade-Related Agencies Appropriations: FY2025 and FY2026

Tables

Table 1. Appropriations for Select Trade-Related Agencies, FY2025-FY2026

Table 2. International Trade Administration (ITA): Appropriations, by Unit

Table 3. Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR): Regular Appropriations

Table A-1. Budget Authority for Select Trade-Related Agencies: FY2016-FY2025

Appendixes

Appendix. Budget Authority Tables

Summary

This report provides an overview of actions by the Trump Administration and Congress to provide funds in FY2026 for the International Trade Administration (ITA) of the Department of Commerce, the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC or the Commission), and the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR). These three trade-related agencies are funded through the annual Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) appropriations. This report also describes these trade agencies' programs.

For FY2026, the Administration requests a total of $649.0 million for the three trade-related agencies. This amount is $158.0 million less (-19.6%) than the FY2025 enacted level, including

ITA: $420.0 million in direct appropriations (-31.3%);

USTIC: $134.0 million (+9.8%); and

USTR: $95.0 million (+28.4%). (USTR funds include appropriations for salaries and expenses and funds to be derived from the Trade Enforcement Trust Fund.)

On July 17, 2025, the Senate Committee on Appropriations reported its FY2026 CJS appropriations bill (S. 2354, S.Rept. 119-44). The Senate committee-reported bill would provide a total of $795.0 million for the three trade-related agencies, which is $12.0 million (-1.5%) less than the FY2025 enacted amount, and $146.0 million (+22.5%) more than the President's budget request. The Senate committee-reported bill proposes the following for each agency:

ITA: $593.0 million in direct appropriations (-2.9% less than the FY2025 enacted amount, and +41.2% more than the President's request);

USITC: $122.0 million (equal to the FY2025 enacted amount, and -9.0% less than the President's request);

USTR: $80.0 million (+8.1% more than the FY2025 enacted amount, and -15.8% less than the President's request)

On September 12, 2024, the House Appropriations Committee reported its FY2026 CJS appropriations bill (H.R. 5342, H.Rept. 119-272). The House committee-reported bill proposes a total of $628.0 million for the three trade-related agencies, which is $179 million (-22.2%) less than the FY2025 enacted amount, and $21.0 million (-3.2%) less than the President's request. The House committee-reported bill proposes the following for each agency:

ITA: $420.0 million in direct appropriations (-31.3% less than FY2025 enacted amount, and equal to the President's request);

USITC: $134.0 million (+9.8% more than the FY2025 enacted amount; and equal to the President's request); and

USTR: $74.0 million (equal to the FY2025 enacted amount, and -22.1% less than the President's request).

Following a lapse in appropriations, Congress passed, and the President signed into law, a continuing resolution (P.L. 119-37), which funds these three agencies at FY2025 levels through January 30, 2026.

Background

The International Trade Administration (ITA) of the Department of Commerce, the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC, or the Commission), and the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) are three trade-related agencies funded through the annual Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) appropriations.¹ This report provides an overview of these agencies' programs and compares the FY2026 CJS proposals with the previous fiscal year's enacted legislation.² In this report, appropriation amounts are rounded to the nearest thousand. However, for greater accuracy, percentage changes and annual differences are calculated using whole, not rounded, numbers; this means that, in some instances, totals may not sum due to rounding and there may be small differences between the actual percentage change and the percentage change that would be calculated by using the rounded amounts.

For FY2025, Congress passed the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025 (CR, P.L. 119-4), which funded the three trade-related agencies at FY2024 levels (Division C of P.L. 118-42) through September 30, 2025. The FY2025 CR provided a total of $807.0 million for the three trade-related agencies, and included $611.0 million in direct appropriations for ITA;³ $122.0 million for USITC; and a total of $74.0 million for USTR.⁴

Congress may provide additional funding for trade related agencies via supplemental funding. For example, via Title IX of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement Implementation Act (USMCA, P.L. 116-113) in December 2019, Congress provided $90 million for USTR to monitor USMCA parties' compliance with labor and environmental obligations of the agreement and to enforce USMCA environmental obligations, including for state-to-state dispute settlement actions. These funds are to remain available until September 30, 2026. ⁵ This report does not provide information on supplemental appropriations. This report provides information on funding levels approved in regular annual CJS Appropriations Acts.

See the Appendix for enacted budget authority for the trade-related agencies for FY2016-FY2025.

FY2026 Appropriations

For FY2026, the Administration's requests a total of $649.0 million for the three trade-related agencies. This amount is $158.0 million less (-19.6%) than the FY2025-enacted level. The President requests $420.0 million in direct appropriations for ITA, $134.0 million for USITC, and a total of $95.0 million for USTR (Figure 1, Table 1).

Figure 1. Trade-Related Agencies Appropriations: FY2025 and FY2026

Millions of U.S. Dollars

Source: FY2025 CR (P.L. 119-4 (continuing FY2024 levels in Div. C of P.L. 118-42)); Appendix tables to the President's FY2026 Budget; S. 2354 (as reported); and H.R.5342 (as reported).

Notes: ITA=International Trade Administration. USITC=U.S. International Trade Commission. USTR=Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. ITA's budget authority includes direct appropriations (included above) and a portion to be derived from user fees, which increases ITA's available funds (not included above). For FY2025, ITA's available funds included an additional $12.0 million to be derived from user fees. For FY2026, the President's request and H.R. 5342, as reported, propose an additional $20 million to be derived from user fees. S. 2354, as reported, proposes an additional $12.0 million. USTR appropriations include direct appropriations for salaries and expenses and funds to be derived from the Trade Enforcement Trust Fund (TETF), and excludes any supplemental funding.

On July 17, 2025, the Senate Committee on Appropriations marked up and reported its FY2026 CJS appropriations bill (S. 2354, S.Rept. 119-44). The Senate committee-reported bill would provide a total of $795.0 million for the three trade-related agencies, which is $12.0 million (-1.5%) less than the FY2025-enacted amount, and $146.0 million (22.5%) more than the President's budget request. The bill would provide $593.0 million in direct appropriations for ITA, $122.0 million for USITC, and a total of $80.0 million for USTR.

On September 12, the House Appropriations Committee reported out its CJS appropriations bill (H.R. 5342, H.Rept. 119-272). The House committee-reported bill proposes a total of $628.0 million for the three trade-related agencies, which is $179 million (-22.2%) less than the FY2025-enacted amount, and $21.0 million (-3.2%) less than the President's request. The House committee-reported bill proposes $420.0 million in direct appropriations for ITA, $134.0 million for USITC, and a total of $74.0 million for USTR.

Following a lapse of appropriations, Congress passed and the President signed into law a continuing resolution, which funds these three agencies through January 30, 2026, at FY2025 levels (P.L. 119-37).

Table 1. Appropriations for Select Trade-Related Agencies, FY2025-FY2026

Millions of Current U.S. Dollars

FY2026

Select Trade-
Related Agencies

FY2025 Enacted

Request

House Committee-Reported (H.R. 5342)

Senate Committee-Reported Bill (S. 2354)

Enacted

Total

807.0

649.0

628.0

795.0

International Trade Administration (ITA) (direct appropriations)a

611.0

420.0

420.0

593.0

U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC)b

122.0

134.0

134.0

122.0

Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR)c

74.0

95.0

74.0

80.0

Sources: P.L. 119-4 (continuing resolution, which continued FY2024 levels in Division C of P.L. 118-42); Appendix tables to the President's Budget FY2026; S. 2354 (as reported); and H.R. 5342 (as reported).

a. In addition to the direct appropriations listed above, ITA's budget authority included a portion to be derived from user fees, which increases ITA's available funds. For FY2025, ITA's available funds include $611.0 million in direct appropriations and an additional $12.0 million to be derived from user fees. For FY2026, the President's request and the H.R. 5342 include an additional $20 million to be derived from user fees, raising available funds in those proposals to $440.0 million. S. 2354 includes an additional $12.0 million to be derived from user fees, raising available funds for ITA to $605.0 million.

b. In this table, USITC's request represents the President's budget request. The Commission is also authorized to submit an independent request directly to Congress (19 U.S.C. §2232). For FY2026, the Commission's independent request is equal to the President's request.

c. USTR appropriations include direct appropriations for salaries and expenses and funds to be derived from the Trade Enforcement Trust Fund (TETF) for certain trade enforcement activities. Supplemental funding provided in USMCA implementing legislation is excluded from USTR totals above.<del> </del>

International Trade Administration (ITA)⁶

ITA, a bureau within the Department of Commerce, has a mission to improve U.S. prosperity by strengthening the competitiveness of U.S. industry, promoting U.S. trade and investment, and ensuring foreign trading partners' compliance with trade laws and agreements. ITA provides export promotion services, works to enforce and ensure compliance with trade laws and agreements, administers trade remedies, such as antidumping and countervailing duties, and provides analytical support for trade negotiations.

ITA comprises three primary units: (1) Global Markets, (2) Enforcement and Compliance, and (3) Industry and Analysis. ITA also has a fourth organizational unit, the Executive and Administrative Directorate, which is responsible for providing policy leadership, information technology support, and administration services for all of ITA. (Table 2 outlines the FY2026 budget for ITA by unit. For historical budget amounts for ITA units, see the Appendix.)

ITA is funded through a combination of direct appropriations and user fees collected for certain services. For FY2025, the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025 (P.L. 119-4) continued FY2024 funding levels, and provided $611.0 million in direct appropriations for ITA, with an additional $12.0 million to be collected in fees, for a total of $623.0 million in authorized spending. According to the latest available figures, ITA's FY2024 budget supported 2,069 positions (1,355 full-time equivalents (FTEs)).⁷

For FY2026, the Administration requests $420.0 million in direct appropriations for ITA, with an additional $20.0 million to be collected in certain fees, for a total of $440.0 million.⁸ The request for appropriations is $191.0 million less (-31.3%) than the FY2025 enacted direct appropriation. The request would reduce ITA staffing by 442 positions (270 FTEs), compared to FY2024 levels.⁹ The proposed budget and staffing reductions are largely focused on ITA's Global Markets unit, which would see a $194.2 million budget reduction from FY2024 levels (-365 FTEs). The budget proposal also includes a budget increase for the Enforcement and Compliance unit (by $6.0 million, adding 57 FTEs).¹⁰

The Senate committee-reported bill (S. 2354) would provide $593.0 million in direct appropriations for ITA, with an additional $12.0 million to be collected in certain fees, for a total budget authority of $605.0 million. The Senate committee-reported bill is $18.0 million less (-2.9%) than FY2025 enacted appropriations, and is $173.0 million more (41.2%) than the President's request.

The House committee-reported bill (H.R. 5342) proposes $420.0 million in direct appropriations for ITA, with an additional $20.0 million to be collected in certain fees, for a total of $440.0 million. The House committee-reported bill's recommendation for appropriations is $191.0 million less (-31.3%) than FY2025 enacted appropriations, and is equal to the President's request.

Table 2. International Trade Administration (ITA): Appropriations, by Unit

FY2024-FY2026 (Millions of Current U.S. Dollars)

FY2026

FY2024 Budget Authority

FY2025 Budget Authoritya

Request

House Committee-Reported Bill (H.R. 5342)

Senate Committee-Reported Bill (S. 2354)

Enacted

ITA

611.0b

611.0b

420.0

420.0

593.0

Global Markets

372.5

—

178.3

—

—

Enforcement and Compliance

124.7

—

130.7

—

—

Industry and Analysis

86.4

—

84.4

—

—

Executive Administration

27.4

—

26.6

—

—

Source: ITA's FY2025 and FY2026 Congressional Budget Justifications; Appendix Tables to the President's Budget, FY2026; P.L. 119-4 (which continued FY2024 amounts in P.L. 118-42); H.R. 5342 (as reported); and S. 2354 (as reported).

Notes: "—" denotes that the source did not provide a specific funding amount.

a. ITA's FY2026 congressional budget justification (CBJ) lacks information on the previous year's (FY2025) budget authority or obligations.

b. FY2024 and FY2025 appropriations includes $50.0 million in emergency-designated funding.

Global Markets

ITA's Global Markets (GM) unit includes a combination of the United States and Foreign Commercial Service (US&FCS) program, which provides export promotion services to U.S. businesses, and the SelectUSA program, which works to attract foreign investment into the United States.¹¹ Through US&FCS, GM aims to promote U.S. exports by helping domestic firms research foreign markets and identify opportunities abroad. GM's country and regional experts—in domestic and overseas offices—advise U.S. companies on market access, local standards, and regulations. The unit also seeks to help to make business-to-business connections through trade shows, fairs, and missions. GM is designed to advance U.S. commercial interests by engaging with foreign governments and U.S. businesses, identifying and resolving market barriers, and leading efforts to advocate with foreign governments for U.S. firms competing for international contracts or other commercial opportunities.

For FY2026, the Administration requests $178.3 million for GM. This proposal is a reduction of $194.2 million (52%) from GM's FY2024 budget authority. The Administration asserts the budget request would "realign [GM's] worldwide footprint with key geostrategic and national security interests and with the Administration's priorities."¹² It would also adjust GM's priorities to focus less on promoting U.S. exports and more on promoting the United States as a foreign investment destination. According to the FY2026 congressional budget justification, "ITA will focus its support on the highest impact markets for both export promotion and advancing national security interests" and will focus its foreign investment activities "with a more strategic focus of larger investments."¹³

The Senate committee-reported bill does not include specific funding amounts for ITA units. In the accompanying report language, the Committee notes its concerns about existing GM staff vacancies and their impact on GM services and on increasing foreign commercial engagement.¹⁴

The House committee-reported bill does not include specific funding amounts for ITA's units. The accompanying report directs "ITA to provide a detailed spending plan for Global Markets funding to the Committee ... [and] to include in its fiscal year 2026 spending plan a staffing assessment and justification for any newly established or newly proposed offices ...."¹⁵

Enforcement and Compliance

The mission of ITA's Enforcement and Compliance (E&C) unit is to enforce U.S. trade laws and ensure compliance with negotiated international trade agreements. The unit is responsible for enforcing U.S. antidumping and countervailing duty (AD/CVD) laws, overseeing a variety of programs and policies regarding the enforcement and administration of U.S. trade remedy laws, assisting U.S. industry and businesses with "addressing unfairly traded imports and foreign trade barriers." E&C also administers the Foreign-Trade Zone program and the steel and aluminum import monitoring and licensing programs, and has supported the Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) in work related to the Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum products.¹⁶

For FY2026, the Administration requests $130.7 million for E&C, including additional staff (57 FTEs), more than half of which are to address AD/CVD-related activities.¹⁷ This request represents an increase of $6.0 million (4.8%) from FY2024 budget authority (latest available).

The Senate committee-reported bill does not include specific funding amounts for ITA units. In its accompanying report, the Senate Committee on Appropriation includes some language on E&C activities, specifically to "urge ITA to update the scope of its Steel Import Monitoring Analysis [SIMA] system to better harmonize it with the scope of the President's Section 232 steel tariffs."¹⁸ The Senate Committee report also directs ITA to submit an annual report of AD/CVD orders, investigations, and reviews.¹⁹

The House committee-reported bill does not include specific funding amounts for E&C; however in its accompanying report, the House Committee on Appropriation directs ITA to report to the Committee on ITA efforts "to counteract the use of third countries for transshipment by state-backed industries and producers to evade U.S.... AD/CVD laws."²⁰ The Committee also "encourages ITA to consult with the domestic tomato industry... on an ongoing basis to ensure antidumping remedies account for changes in the market."²¹

Industry and Analysis

ITA's Industry and Analysis (I&A) unit provides industry and sectoral expertise, data, and analysis with the aim of advancing U.S. competitiveness and supply chain resiliency. The unit designs and implements trade and investment programs and analyzes economic and international policies to improve market access for U.S. businesses. I&A's industry expertise contributes to other U.S. government efforts, within ITA and throughout the government, to identify supply chain risks and opportunities, review investments for national security concerns, improve competitiveness, and address unfair trade practices. I&A also publishes publicly available data tools and market intelligence for use by private industry and state and local governments. I&A coordinates U.S. government policy for the travel and tourism industries, and also administers programs that support small and medium-sized enterprises, such as the Market Development Cooperator Program, which provides financial and technical assistance to nonprofit industry groups, like trade associations and standards-developing organizations, for projects that help U.S. companies to compete globally.²² I&A also administers the Industry Trade Advisory Committees (ITACs) program, a system where U.S. industry can provide input into U.S. trade negotiations.²³

For FY2026, the Administration requests $84.4 million for I&A and proposes adding staff (37 FTE), while also "[reducing] personnel and other services costs in each office within I&A related to IT operations, client outreach surveys, and office level administrative functions."²⁴

The Senate committee-reported bill does not specify funding amounts for ITA units. The accompanying report includes a directive for ITA to report to Congress, in consultation with USTR, on the U.S. shipbuilding and maintenance sector, specifically related to USTR's investigation into China's trade practices in the shipbuilding industry and Executive Order 14629 of April 9, 2025, "Restoring America's Maritime Dominance." ²⁵ Also in its report, the Senate Committee on Appropriation directs ITA to report on silane gas demand, in coordination with the Department of Energy.²⁶

While the House committee-reported bill does not specify funding amounts for I&A as a unit, the House Committee on Appropriation contains funding recommendations for some I&A-related activities in its accompanying report. The Committee recommends up to $10.0 million "for ITA to initiate a three-year pilot program to facilitate the use of U.S. developed construction codes in foreign markets" in an effort to increase market access for U.S. exporters and to counteract the influence of the Peoples Republic of China's (PRC or China).²⁷ The Committee's report language would also direct ITA to brief Congress on supply chain analysis and risk assessments related to the domestic medical supply chain.²⁸

U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC)

USITC is an independent, quasi-judicial agency responsible for conducting trade-related investigations and providing independent technical advice on U.S. international trade policy to Congress, the President, and USTR. The Commission: (1) investigates and determines whether imports injure a domestic industry or violate U.S. intellectual property rights; (2) provides independent tariff, trade, and competitiveness-related analysis to the President, Congress, and USTR; and (3) maintains the U.S. tariff schedule. USITC also serves as a federal resource for trade data and other trade policy information. It makes most of its information and analyses available to the public to promote understanding of competitiveness, international trade issues, and the role that international trade plays in the U.S. economy.

USITC's annual budget request to Congress is subject to two types of submission: (1) the President's budget request for the Commission, which is included in the President's annual budget; and (2) the Commission's independent budget request. USITC has the authority to submit its independent budget directly to Congress without revision by the President, pursuant to Section 175 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 U.S. Code §2232).

The President requests $134.0 million for USITC for FY2026, which is equal to the Commission's independent budget request, and is $12.0 million more (9.8%) than the FY2025 enacted levels.

For FY2026, the Senate committee-reported bill (S. 2354) would provide $122.0 million for USITC, which is equal to the FY2025 enacted level, and $12.0 million (-9.0%) less than the President's request. In the report accompanying the bill, the Senate Appropriations Committee expresses the importance of fulfilling commissioner vacancies at USITC. The committee report language also directs USITC to report to Congress on certain trade topics. The committee report includes a directive for USITC to study and to report to Congress on PRC state support and pricing practices in the biotechnology industry and its impacts on U.S. competitiveness. The committee report language also directs USITC to incorporate the impacts on housing and construction into its reports on tariffs and trade barriers. The Senate report also includes a reporting requirement on the Commission's processes for issuing exclusion orders following investigations into imports that infringe on intellectual property rights (IPR).²⁹

The House committee-reported bill (H.R. 5342) proposes $134.0 million for USITC in FY2026, which is equal to the Commission's independent budget request and to the President's request. The House recommendation is $12.0 million more (9.8%) than the FY2025 enacted levels. The House Committee on Appropriations' report accompanying the bill would direct USITC to study and report on the economic implications of revoking permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) status from China.³⁰ The House committee report language also includes a reporting requirement, similar to one in the Senate's, regarding the USITC's investigations under Section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930 (19 U.S.C. § 1337) into alleged "unfair practices" and IPR infringements, and the Commission's processes for considering the potential effects of exclusion orders on public health and welfare.³¹

Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR)

As part of the Executive Office of the President, USTR is the President's principal advisor on trade policy and head of the interagency trade policy coordinating process, the President's chief negotiator for international trade agreements, including commodity and direct investment negotiations, and has primary responsibility for developing and coordinating U.S. international trade and direct investment policies.³² USTR negotiates directly with foreign governments to create trade agreements or other trade initiatives, and to resolve disputes, and it participates in global trade policy organizations such as the World Trade Organization. USTR also meets with business groups, policymakers, and public interest groups on trade policy issues, and manages the U.S. advisory committee system for public and private sector input in U.S. trade policy.³³

In addition to providing direct appropriations for USTR, Congress can provide USTR supplementary funding from the congressionally established Trade Enforcement Trust Fund. USTR may use funding from this trust fund for certain trade enforcement activities, authorized by the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015 (P.L. 114-125). (See section below, "Trade Enforcement Trust Fund, USTR.")

For FY2026, the Administration requests a total of $95.0 million for USTR, including $72.0 million for salaries and expenses and an additional $23.0 million to be derived from the TETF.³⁴ The budget request is $21.0 million (28.4%) more than the FY2025-enacted funding.

The Senate committee-reported bill (S. 2354) would provide a total of $80.0 million for USTR, including $65.0 million for USTR for salaries and expenses, and an additional $15.0 million to be derived from the TETF. The Senate committee-reported bill is $6.0 million more (8.1%) than the FY2025 enacted funding, and $15.0 million less (-15.8%) than the President's request.

The House committee-reported bill (H.R. 5342) proposes a total of $74.0 million for USTR, including $51.0 million for salaries and expenses, and an additional $23.0 to be derived from the TETF. The House committee-reported bill is equal to the overall total for FY2025-enacted funding, and $21.0 million less (-22.1%) than the President's request.

Table 3. Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR): Regular Appropriations

FY2025-FY2026 (Millions of Current U.S. Dollars)

FY2025 Enacted

FY2026

Request

House Committee Reported (H.R. 5342)

Senate Committee Reported (S. 2354)

Enacted

USTR

74.0

95.0

74.0

80.0

Direct appropriation for salaries and expenses

59.0

72.0

51.0

65.0

Funding to be derived from TETF for certain trade enforcement activities

15.0

23.0

23.0

15.0

Sources: For FY2025-enacted amounts, see P.L. 119-4 (which continued amounts in P.L. 118-42). For the FY2026 request, see the Technical Appendix tables, released in May 2025, to the President's budget.; H.R. 5342 (as reported); and S. 2354 (as reported).

Notes: The totals exclude supplemental funding. TETF = Trade Enforcement Trust Fund, authorized by the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015 (19 U.S.C. §4405).

Selected Trade-Related Programs and Activities

China Trade Enforcement and Compliance Activities, ITA

Since FY2004, Congress has dedicated some of ITA's funding to AD/CVD enforcement and compliance activities with respect to China and other nonmarket economies.³⁵ ITA's Office of China Compliance was established by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2004 (P.L. 108-199). Its primary role has been to enforce U.S. AD/CVD laws and to develop and implement other policies and programs aimed at countering unfair foreign trade practices in China. ITA's China Countervailing Duty Group was established by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2010 (P.L. 111-117), to accommodate the workload that resulted from the application of countervailing duty law to imports from nonmarket economy countries.³⁶

ITA's FY2026 budget justification requests $16.4 million, within ITA's budget, for China AD/CVD enforcement and compliance activities, which is equal to the FY2025 enacted level

Both the Senate and House committee-reported bills would provide $16.4 million for ITA's China AD/CVD enforcement and compliance activities.

Travel and Tourism Activities, ITA

In recent years, Congress has provided specific direction or funding regarding aspects of ITA's travel and tourism activities. In 2022, Congress passed the Visit America Act (Division BB, Title VI of P.L. 117-328), which created a new Assistant Secretary position in ITA for Travel and Tourism and expanded "the scope of ITA's authorities beyond attracting international visitors and related research, analysis, and statistics to activities in support of the domestic travel and tourism industry."³⁷

In response, in FY2024, the Biden Administration proposed reorganizing ITA's travel and tourism activities, by moving them out of the Industry and Analysis unit and into a newly proposed unit, the Travel and Tourism unit. Congressional appropriators did not specifically address the issue of reorganization; however, the Explanatory Statement, accompanying the FY2024 Consolidated Appropriations Act, included "up to the requested level of $3,500,000 for ITA to implement the 'Visit America Act,'" which established a new position for an Assistant Secretary in ITA for travel and tourism.³⁸

ITA's FY2025 budget request did not include further plans for this proposal; it noted that budget reductions in FY2024 and potential reductions in FY2025 "may slow progress in... elevating the [National Travel and Tourism Office] NTTO under an Assistant Secretary."³⁹

For FY2025, both the House and Senate Committees on Appropriation included language in their committee reports regarding ITA's travel and tourism activities. The report accompanying the House bill included language that would have directed ITA to establish the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Travel and Tourism, per the Visit Americas Act, but did not provide specific funding.⁴⁰ The Senate Committee on Appropriation would have included $3.5 million for ITA to continue implementing the Visit Americas Act.⁴¹ These FY2025 CJS proposals were not enacted, and Congress later passed a full year continuing resolution.

For FY2026, the Administration did not include funding for a new unit. According to the CBJ, ITA's travel and tourism activities are organized as an office within the Industry and Analysis unit.

The Senate Appropriations Committee's FY2026 proposal would provide "an amount equal to the fiscal year 2024 enacted level for ITA to continue implementing the 'Visit America Act.'"⁴²

The House committee-reported bill for FY2026 would include up to $3.5 million to establish an Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Travel and Tourism and to carry out other travel and tourism activities within sections 604 and 605 of the Visit America Act.⁴³

Rural Export Center, ITA

The Rural Export Center (REC), housed in ITA's Global Markets unit, provides customized market research and other services to help rural U.S. companies identify export opportunities, including through its Rural America's Intelligence Service for Exporters (RAISE) program.

REC was established in 2020 with the launch of a national office in Fargo, North Dakota. ITA activities to provide export assistance to rural U.S. business go further back, including to President Obama's "Made in Rural America" Initiative, announced in 2014, which directed the Commerce Department's U.S. Export Assistance Centers to "provide enhanced export counseling for rural businesses to connect with foreign buyers." Since the establishment of the national office, the rural export program has expanded to multiple locations.⁴⁴

For select years since FY2020, the Appropriations Committees have included direction for ITA's rural initiatives or dedicated funding for the Rural Export Center.

ITA's FY2026 budget justification does not include a request for its rural export programs.

For FY2026, the Senate Appropriations Committee's proposal would provide "not less than the fiscal year 2024 enacted level for rural export centers [REC] and not less than $2,000,000 for the National Rural Export Center."⁴⁵

The House committee-reported bill and accompanying report do not include any language on ITA's rural export activities for FY2026.

Trade Enforcement Trust Fund, USTR

To provide additional funding for trade enforcement activities, Congress established the Trade Enforcement Trust Fund (TETF), per Section 611 of the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015 (P.L. 114-125). In Section 611, Congress directed the Secretary of the Treasury to transfer $15.0 million annually into TETF from the general fund of Treasury and outlined authorized uses of the funds. Under Section 611(d) of this act, funds are available to USTR, "only as provided by appropriations Acts," for any of the following: (1) to monitor and enforce U.S. free trade agreements and World Trade Organization (WTO) commitments; (2) to support trade capacity-building assistance to help partner countries meet their free trade agreement obligations and commitments; and (3) to investigate petitions concerning unfair trade practices under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974. The Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015 also authorizes USTR to transfer funds to select federal agencies for trade enforcement activities authorized in Section 611(d).

For FY2026, the Administration requests $23.0 million to be derived from the TETF for USTR trade enforcement activities authorized by the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015. The request is $8.0 million more than the previous year (Table 3).

The Senate committee-reported bill for FY2026 proposes $15.0 million to be derived from the TETF for USTR, which is equal to the FY2025 enacted funding level.

The House committee-reported bill for FY2026 proposes $23.0 million to be derived from the TETF for USTR. This amount is $8.0 million more than the previous year, and is equal to the President's request.

Appendix. Budget Authority Tables

Table A-1. Budget Authority for Select Trade-Related Agencies: FY2016-FY2025

Millions of Current U.S. Dollars

FY2016

FY2017

FY2018

FY2019

FY2020

FY2021

FY2022

FY2023

FY2024

FY2025

Total (3 Agencies)

626.0

636.5

648.3

647.0

678.7

703.0

740.0

811.4

807.0

807.0

ITA (total)

483.0

483.0

482.0

484.0

510.3

530.0

559.0

613.0

611.0a

611.0a

Global Markets

324.4

319.2

319.2

320.0

333.0

340.8

352.1

374.0

372.5

—b

Enforcement and Compliance

79.0

85.5

87.5

88.5

91.8

99.2

111.6

125.1

124.7

—b

Industry and Analysis

56.3

55.4

52.3

52.6

62.5

66.0

70.0

86.7

86.4

—b

Executive and Administration

23.3

22.9

22.9

22.9

23.0

24.0

25.3

27.2

27.4

—b

USITC

88.5

91.5

93.7

95.0

99.4

103.0

110.0

122.4

122.0

122.0

USTR (total)c

54.5

62.0

72.6

68.0

69.0

70.0

71.0

76.0

74.0

74.0

Direct appropriation for salaries and expenses

54.5

47.0

57.6

53.0

54.0

55.0

56.0

61.0

59.0

59.0

Funds to be derived from TETF for certain trade enforcement activities

—

15.0

15.0

15.0

15.0

15.0

15.0

15.0

15.0

15.0

Sources: Budget office, International Trade Administration (ITA), U.S. Department of Commerce. USITC and USTR figures from: FY2016: P.L. 114-113. FY2017: P.L. 115-31. FY2018: P.L. 115-141. FY2019: P.L. 116-6. FY2020: P.L. 116-93. FY2021: P.L. 116-260. FY2022: P.L. 117-103. FY2023: P.L. 117-328. FY2024: P.L. 118-42. FY2025: P.L. 119-4.

Notes: ITA=International Trade Administration. USITC=U.S. International Trade Commission. USTR=Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. Totals may not sum due to rounding.

a. Includes $50.0 million in emergency-designated funding, for an emergency requirement under Section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (BBEDCA).

b. ITA's FY2026 congressional budget justification did not include information on FY2025 budget authority or obligations by unit.

c. USTR totals exclude supplemental appropriations from USMCA. TETF = the Trade Enforcement Trust Fund, established by the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015 (P.L. 114-125 ). Congress first provided funds for USTR to be derived from the Trade Enforcement Trust Fund in FY2017.

Footnotes

1.

For more on the overall CJS appropriations, see CRS Report R48643, Overview of FY2026 Appropriations for Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS), by Nathan James and CRS Report R48134, Overview of FY2025 Appropriations for Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS), by Nathan James.

2.

The FY2025 funding levels stated in this report reflect the amounts appropriated in the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025 (P.L. 119-4), which provided continued funding levels for these three agencies at the levels provided in the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, 2024 (Division C of P.L. 118-42 ). They do not include supplemental appropriations provided in the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement implementing legislation (P.L. 116-113).

3.

ITA's appropriated funds for FY2024 and FY2025 included $50.0 million in emergency-designated funding. These amounts were designated by Congress and the President as being for an emergency requirement under Section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (BBEDCA) (Section 1110 of the FY2025 CR (P.L. 119-4). For more see CRS Report R48643, Overview of FY2026 Appropriations for Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS), by Nathan James and CRS Report R47594, Budget Enforcement Rules: Emergency Designations, by Drew C. Aherne.

4.

Total USTR funding amounts in this report include both direct appropriations for "salaries and expenses" and funding to be derived from the Trade Enforcement Trust Fund for certain trade enforcement activities. See the "Trade Enforcement Trust Fund, USTR" section in this report.

5.

Section 540, P.L. 118-42 extended the availability of USMCA supplemental funds for USTR to September 30, 2026.

6.

For more see, CRS In Focus IF13048, International Trade Administration: Overview and Issues, by Shayerah I. Akhtar, Keigh E. Hammond, and M. Angeles Villarreal. In this report, the budget authority figures for ITA's subunits have been rounded; however, calculations comparing ITA's FY2025 budget and the FY2026 proposal are based on the original figures, as identified in ITA's FY2025 and FY2026 congressional budget justifications.

7.

International Trade Administration, Congressional Budget Justification, Fiscal Year 2026, Hereinafter ITA, FY2026 Congressional Budget Justification (CBJ)., p. 8.

8.

Ibid, p. 4.

9.

Ibid, p. 8.

10.

Ibid, p. 8. ITA's FY2026 CBJ lacks information on FY2025 budget authority or obligations. The tables within the FY2026 CBJ compare the FY2026 funding request to the FY2024 enacted appropriation. The appendix tables to the President's budget, released in late May 2025, include estimates for ITA's FY2025 appropriations, which show a funding level $50 million below the amount Congress appropriated for FY2025, an amount equal to the emergency-designated amount under Section 251(b)(2)(A)(i) of the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (BBEDCA) (Section 1110 of the FY2025 CR (P.L. 119-4).

11.

For more on the US&FCS, see "U.S. Commercial Service," U.S. International Trade Administration, https://www.trade.gov/us-commercial-service. For more on SelectUSA, see CRS In Focus IF10674, SelectUSA: U.S. Inbound Investment Promotion, by Shayerah I. Akhtar.

12.

ITA, FY2026 Congressional Budget Justification, pp. 43-44.

13.

Ibid.

14.

U.S. Congress, Senate Committee on Appropriations, Departments of Commerce and Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriation Bill, 2026, report to accompany S. 2354, 119 Cong., 1st sess., S.Rept. 119-44, July 17, 2025, p. 11-12.

15.

H.Rept. 119-272, p.8.

16.

ITA, Congressional Budget Justification FY2025, p. 12. For more on related issues, see CRS In Focus IF10018, Trade Remedies: Antidumping and Countervailing Duties, by Christopher A. Casey, and CRS Insight IN12519, Expanded Section 232 Tariffs on Steel and Aluminum, by Kyla H. Kitamura and Keigh E. Hammond.

17.

"Six additional staff will be added to the Office of Accounting to examine the complex cost of production issues that arise in antidumping duty cases. Twenty-four additional staff will be allocated across the existing AD/CVD Enforcement Offices to review proceedings and address novel and complex issues (such as transnational subsidies)." ITA, FY2026 Congressional Budget Justification, p.34.

18.

S.Rept. 119-44, p. 13. For additional background see CRS Insight IN12519, Expanded Section 232 Tariffs on Steel and Aluminum, by Kyla H. Kitamura and Keigh E. Hammond, and ITA, "Industry Import Monitory and Analysis, https://www.trade.gov/steel-import-monitor.

19.

S.Rept. 119-44, p. 14.

20.

H.Rept. 119-272, p.8.

21.

Ibid, p. 8.

22.

For more on the Market Development Cooperator Program, see "Market Development Cooperator Program," International Trade Administration, https://www.trade.gov/mdcp.

23.

The ITACs are co-managed by ITA and USTR, and are part of the advisory committee system, established by Congress, to allow for industry input into trade negotiation objectives. See https://www.trade.gov/history-itacs.

24.

ITA, FY2026 Congressional Budget Justification, p. 24.

25.

see CRS In Focus IF12666, Section 301 and China: Shipping and Shipbuilding Issues, by Karen M. Sutter; USTR, "Section 301-China-Targeting the Maritime, Logistics, and Shipbuilding Sectors for Dominance," https://perma.cc/FET8-JEBP (website as of Nov. 13, 2025); and Executive Order 14269 of April 9, 2025, Restoring America's Maritime Dominance.

26.

S.Rept. 119-44, p. 12-13.

27.

H.Rept. 119-272, p. 8-9.

28.

H.Rept. 119-272, p. 8.

29.

Senate Committee on Appropriations, Departments of Commerce and Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriation Bill, 2026, S.Rept. 119-44, pp. 174-175. For background on IPR investigations, see CRS In Focus IF12295, An Introduction to Section 337 Intellectual Property Litigation at the U.S. International Trade Commission, by Christopher T. Zirpoli.

30.

H.Rept. 119-272, p.109. For background on China and PNTR, see CRS In Focus IF12980, Permanent Normal Trade Relations and U.S.-China Tariffs, by Karen M. Sutter and Michael D. Sutherland.

31.

H.Rept. 119-272, p.109. For background on Section 337, see USITC, "About Section 337," https://www.usitc.gov/intellectual_property/about_section_337.htm ; and CRS In Focus IF12295, An Introduction to Section 337 Intellectual Property Litigation at the U.S. International Trade Commission, by Christopher T. Zirpoli.

32.

USTR coordinates U.S. trade policy through the interagency process, as outlined by statute (see 19 U.S.C. §1872). The interagency draws its membership from key executive trade agencies and the White House. For more on the interagency process, see CRS In Focus IF11016, U.S. Trade Policy: Trade Functions of Key Federal Agencies, by Shayerah I. Akhtar.

33.

For more on the advisory committee system, see "Advisory Committees," Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, https://ustr.gov/about-us/advisory-committees.

34.

Technical Supplement to the 2026 Budget: Appendix, Budget of the United States Government, Fiscal Year 2026, p. 980, https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/BUDGET-2026-APP.

35.

According to 19 U.S.C. §1677(18); "the term 'nonmarket economy country' means any foreign country that the administering authority determines does not operate on market principles of cost or pricing structures, so that sales of merchandise in such country do not reflect the fair value of the merchandise." For more on trade remedies, see CRS In Focus IF10018, Trade Remedies: Antidumping and Countervailing Duties, by Christopher A. Casey.

36.

U.S. Congress, Conference Committee, Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill 2010, conference report accompanying H.R. 2847, 111th Cong. 1st sess., H.Rept. 111-149, June 12, 2009, pp. 10-11.

37.

ITA, FY2026 Congressional Budget Justification, p. 6. Also see sections 604 and 605 of the Visit America Act (Title VI, P.L. 117-328).

38.

Explanatory Statement accompanying H.R. 4366, Congressional Record, vol. 170, part 39 (March 5, 2024), p. S1398.

39.

ITA, FY2025 Congressional Budget Justification, p. APPR-14.

40.

U.S. Congress, House Committee on Appropriations, Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriation Bill, 2025, report to accompany H.R. 9026, 118th Cong., 2nd sess., H.Rept. 118-582, [July 11, 2024], p. 11.

41.

U.S. Congress, Senate Committee on Appropriations, Departments of Commerce and Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill, 2025, report to accompany S. 4795S, 118th Cong., 2nd sess., S.Rept. 118-198, July 25, 2024, p. 11.

42.

ITA, FY2026 Congressional Budget Justification, p. 11.

43.

H.Rept. 119-272, p. 8.

44.

International Trade Administration, Rural Export Center Annual Report 2024, https://www.trade.gov/sites/default/files/2025-04/Rural%20Export%20Center%20FY24%20Annual%20Report%20508%20Compliant.pdf.

45.

Senate Committee on Appropriations, Departments of Commerce and Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriation Bill, 2026, S.Rept. 119-44, pp. 12-13.