Wyoming Senator Cynthia Lummis announced she is co-sponsoring bipartisan legislation with Senator Ron Wyden to assist Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in preventing the entry of illicit goods by tightening import rules for low-value packages. The bill aims to strengthen measures against products made with forced labor and other illegal imports.

According to a press release by Lummis, the Fighting Illicit Goods, Helping Trustworthy Importers, and Netting Gains (FIGHTING) for America Act seeks to reform de minimis entry rules to assist CBP in more effectively intercepting illegal imports. This legislation is designed to prevent large Chinese corporations from exploiting the de minimis process to avoid tariffs on textiles, shoes, and apparel, and to circumvent trade penalties related to unfair practices.

"Whether through the southwest border or in packages mailed into the United States, China is using any tool available to get illicit drugs across our border," said Lummis. "It is time for CBP to crack down on shipments from China to ensure drugs and products made using slave labor are encountered before making it into our communities."

The increase in direct-to-consumer shipments from foreign retailers such as Shein and Temu has led to a significant rise in low-value packages entering the U.S. tariff-free. As these companies use the de minimis threshold to evade customs duties, CBP has faced challenges in targeting shipments containing illicit drugs, counterfeits, and products made with forced labor, which complicates enforcement of U.S. trade laws, according to Lummis.

Cynthia Lummis was sworn into the U.S. Senate on January 3, 2021, as the first female Senator from Wyoming. Previously, she served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2008 to 2016, where she was a founding member of the House Freedom Caucus and worked on fiscal issues and Western policies. Before Congress, Lummis held various roles in Wyoming’s state government and legal sector.