 | This article needs to beupdated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(May 2024) |
 | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | September 8, 1916 |
| Preceding agency |
|
| Jurisdiction | International Trade Issues |
| Headquarters | Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Employees | 402 (civilian career employees as of September 30, 2017)[1] |
| Agency executive |
|
| Website | www |
| Footnotes | |
TheUnited States International Trade Commission (USITC orITC) is an agency of theUnited States federal government that advises the legislative and executive branches on matters of trade. It was created by Congress in 1916 as theU.S. Tariff Commission. It changed to its current name in 1974. It is an independent, bipartisan entity that analyzes trade issues such as tariffs and competitiveness and publishes reports. As a quasi-judicial entity, the USITC investigates the impact ofimports on U.S. industries, and directs actions against unfair trade practices, such assubsidies;dumping; andintellectual property infringement, includingcopyright infringement.[3]
The USITC was established by theU.S. Congress on September 8, 1916, as the U.S. Tariff Commission.[4] In 1974, the name was changed to the U.S. International Trade Commission by section 171 of theTrade Act of 1974.[5] Statutory authority for the USITC's responsibilities is provided by the following legislation:
The U.S. International Trade Commission seeks to:
In so doing, the Commission serves the public by implementing U.S. law and contributing to the development and implementation of sound and informed U.S. trade policy.
The USITC's five operations are:
The president nominates and theU.S. Senate confirms the six commissioners who make up the USITC. The president and thesecretary of state sign the formal commission.
Commissioners' terms are nine years, or, when filling a vacated seat, for the remainder of a term. Their terms are staggered to end 18 months apart. Commissioners may not be reappointed at the start of a new term unless they have served less than five years, although commissioners stay on past the end of their term until their successor is appointed and confirmed. No more than three of the commissioners may be of the same political party.
The chairman's term is for two years, and successive chairmen may not be of the same political party. Only a commissioner with more than one year of service may be designated chairman.[6]
The current commissioners as of February 1, 2025[update]:[7]
| Position | Name | State | Entered office | Term expires | Party | Originally appointed by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chair | Amy A. Karpel | Washington | August 26, 2019 | June 16, 2023 | Democratic | Donald Trump |
| Commissioner | David S. Johanson | Texas | December 8, 2011 | December 16, 2018 | Republican | Barack Obama |
| Commissioner | Jason Kearns | Colorado | April 2, 2018 | December 16, 2024 | Democratic | Donald Trump |
| Commissioner | Vacant | June 16, 2026 | ||||
| Commissioner | Vacant | June 16, 2029 | ||||
| Commissioner | Vacant | December 16, 2030 |
Although the USITC is not acourt, itsadministrative law judges conduct trial-type officialadministrative hearings. If a Section 337Tariff Act complaint has at least three votes from its six Commissioners, an official investigative hearing will be assigned to an administrative law judge. Several dozen new USITC investigations are filed every year.[8]Judicial review is normally exercised by theUnited States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.[9]After the parties have had the opportunity to conduct fact and expert discovery to develop their respective legal positions, the ALJ (administrative law judge) holds a formal, evidentiary hearing, or trial.There is no jury. About three months after considering the arguments of the parties, the ALJ renders an initial determination (ID). The full ITC reviews and may adopt, modify or reverse the ALJ's initial determination. The ITC's final determination is usually issued about four months after the ALJ's ID.[10] The USITC can impose exclusion orders that keep violating products from entering the United States.[11] Exclusion orders are those in which disallow products from entering the United States for sale.[12] While the Administrative Law Judges make determinations, the final decision of relief (i.e. exclusion from import) is made by the President of the United States.[13] Should a party disagree with the decision, appeals may be made to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.[11]
As part of a large group of legislation passed during theProgressive Era in the early 1900s,U.S. Congress established the United States Tariff Commission in 1916, which had a purpose to apply scientific principles to the study of tariffs and to assist in recommending appropriate tariff levels.[14]Frank Taussig, then anEconomics professor atHarvard University, was named the U.S. Tariff Commission's very first chairman.[14] The first offices of the U.S. Tariff Commission were located at 1322 New York Avenue, Washington D.C.[14] Also in 1921, the U.S. Tariff Commission moved to the Old Post Office Building at 7th and E Street NW.[14]
Effective January 1, 1975, the U.S. Tariff Commission was renamed the U.S. International Trade Commission.[14] The USITC had a number of new responsibilities under theTrade Act of 1974, and commission procedures under Section 337 ofTariff Act of 1930 were greatly changed, and Section 337 proceedings brought beforeAdministrative Law Judges had to now conform with theAdministrative Procedure Act.[14] Section 337 decisions were also made final, instead of advisory (although subject to presidential disapproval due to policy reasons), and the USITC was also authorized to issue cease and desist orders in addition to exclusion orders.[14]
In 1988, the USITC moved its quarters from the Old Post Office Building to the building it remains in to this day, 500 E Street SW.[14]
Past commissioners of the USITC include:
On January 4, 1985, a USITC decision in favor ofDuracell was overturned by PresidentRonald Reagan. The case involved the import of alkaline batteries in competition with Duracell, the American manufacturer that developed them.[15]
On August 3, 2013, PresidentBarack Obama overturned the commission's decision ininvestigation No. 337-TA-794 that would have bannedApple Inc. from importing several of its older products.[16]
In January 2015, details from theSony Pictures Entertainment hack revealed the MPAA's lobbying of the USITC to mandate USInternet service providers either at theinternet transit level or consumer levelinternet service provider, implementIP address blocking againstpirate websites as well aslinking websites.[17]
In January 2016, it became known that the commission was charged with investigating the likely impact of theTPP on the U.S. economy and specific industries. It will calculate the estimated impact on gross domestic product, exports and imports, employment opportunities, and U.S. consumers.[18]
In January 2018, in a surprise decision, the commission unanimously overturned a 292% trade tariff that had been imposed on the aircraft manufacturerBombardier Aerospace.[19][20]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Academics | |
| People | |
| Other | |
