Back-to-School Supplies Affordability

Summary#

This bill, titled the Back-to-School Supplies Affordability Act, would stop increases in import duties for many school supplies and educational materials starting on the date it is enacted. It says a duty is not allowed if it is higher than the duty that applied on January 19, 2025, except for duties imposed under certain trade remedy laws (antidumping/countervailing duties and section 201 safeguards).

The bill identifies covered items in two ways: (1) items the Secretary of Commerce, working with the Secretary of Education, designates as used in elementary or secondary school classrooms (unless Congress disapproves that designation); and (2) items listed by specific Harmonized Tariff Schedule headings and subheadings, such as office or school supplies, backpacks and lunchboxes, notebooks, children's coloring books, calendars, keyboards, hairbrushes, pencils/crayons, and pens/markers.

The Secretary of Commerce must send a report to the Senate Finance Committee and the House Ways and Means Committee not later than 180 days after enactment and every 180 days after that. Each report must list items exempt from duties under the Act and items designated as classroom supplies during the reporting period. The bill also creates a defined joint resolution of disapproval process and applies expedited procedures modeled on the Trade Act of 1974 for Congress to reject items the Secretary designates.

What it means for you#

• If the bill becomes law, import duties could not be raised above their January 19, 2025 levels for the items covered by the text and the Secretary's classroom designations, except for certain trade remedy duties.
• The Secretary of Commerce and the Secretary of Education can add items used in elementary and secondary classrooms through regulations. Congress can block those additions through a specific, expedited joint resolution process.
• Listed products named in the bill include common classroom goods such as backpacks, notebooks, pens, pencils, crayons, keyboards, coloring books, and calendars.

Expenses#

No publicly available information on budgetary costs or savings is included in the bill text or provided metadata. The bill does require the Secretary of Commerce to prepare and submit regular reports every 180 days and to coordinate with the Secretary of Education on designations.

Proponents' View#

The bill includes a "sense of Congress" statement that says arbitrary and chaotic tariffs increase the cost of school supplies for students, families, teachers, schools, and local governments. Sponsors listed in the metadata include Representatives Brendan Boyle, Janelle Bynum, Angie Craig, Eleanor Norton, Sarah McBride, Juan Vargas, and Raja Krishnamoorthi.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information on opponents' views, objections, or formal statements is included in the bill text or provided metadata.