| We all know what a problem unfair foreign competition is — especially when countries like China are always finding new ways to cheat. Under one current trade loophole, known as the “de minimis” rule, companies and drug traffickers split their shipments into small packages worth less than $800 in value, which allows them to evade U.S. taxes, fees, and inspections. Last year, more than two million shipments came to our country through this loophole per day. Now, it’s more than three million per day — and it’s only getting worse. We need action now — that’s why I joined with Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) to call on President Biden to close it. The president has the authority to put an end to trade abusers taking advantage of the “de minimis” loophole now. The American textile industry and its workers pay the price when foreign companies are able to abuse our trade laws at such an alarming rate. And the dangers of this massive loophole extend beyond the threat of unfair foreign competition. Fentanyl is killing too many Ohioans, and drug traffickers are exploiting the de minimis loophole to send deadly drugs like fentanyl into our country without any detection. We need to use every tool available to keep fentanyl out and protect our communities. Closing this loophole is a powerful way to do that. Every day we wait to close this loophole, we risk American jobs, and we allow millions of packages into our country with no way of knowing whether they contain fentanyl. | 
