September 24, 2025—Top Stories:
US Files Opening Brief at SCOTUS in IEEPA Tariff Cases
On September 19, the U.S. filed its opening brief at the Supreme Court in the lead cases on the legality of tariffs imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. Solicitor General D. John Sauer said the reciprocal tariffs and tariffs on China, Canada and Mexico meant to stop the flow of fentanyl are a valid exercise of IEEPA, adding that the tariffs are a proper expression of presidential policymaking in emergency situations.
CBP Issues Withhold Release Order on Taiwanese Bicycle Manufacturer Giant
On September 24, CBP issued a Withhold Release Order (WRO) blocking imports of bicycles, bicycle parts and accessories from Taiwanese manufacturer Giant Manufacturing amid forced labor allegations. CBP found five forced labor indicators during its investigation of Giant: abuse of vulnerability; abusive working and living conditions; debt bondage; withholding of wages; and excessive overtime. CBP says this WRO is the third issued in 2025 and the fourth issued in fiscal year 2025, which ends on Sept. 30.
WROs have been designed to impact global companies, not just Chinese companies. “WRO’s have been imposed against Malaysian and Dominican companies and seafood vessels lately. What is significant here is this WRO targets a U.S. ally, Taiwan, and a country generally not known to be a human rights abusing country as seen with the latest department of state country report,” according to Pierfilippo Natta of Crowell & Moring LLP.
AAEI members who operate in the cycling industry should verify if they source from Giant to ensure that their goods are not detained by customs.
Additional DUTIES On the Way?
The Trump administration is moving to hit more products with tariffs on national security grounds, while duties the president imposed under an emergency justification face an uncertain future in court.
Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) unveiled two regulatory updates in the last two weeks that could lead to tariffs on many more products derived from steel, aluminum and items related to automobiles and their parts, which Trump pursued under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962.
Tariff Actions Spur Talks of Farmer Bailout
Hill Republicans, the White House, and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) officials are starting to discuss how to fund a potential farmer bailout by the end of the year.
Congressional Agriculture Committee GOP staff spoke with White House officials last Friday to relay the need for farm aid action this fall, according to a person familiar with the meeting who was granted anonymity to discuss the private conversation.
But officials are still figuring out if the money will come from a USDA emergency fund — which is running low and will need replenishing — or through congressional appropriations, like the farm aid Congress passed last December.
Farmers have been struggling with economic headwinds like high input costs and low market prices on top of tariff and trade uncertainty, which has put pressure on lawmakers and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins over the last few months to find a solution.
Bourbon Industry Seeks Duty Drawback
A bill that would allow American whiskey distillers to participate in a duty drawback program, which would refund duties and fees paid by importers if they export equivalent amounts of the same product, picked up another Republican sponsor this week: Rep. Roger Williams (R-Texas).
Williams joins a bipartisan group of representatives, including the entire delegation of Kentucky. His co-sponsorship comes as the U.K. is asking for the Trump administration to lift his 10 percent tariff on Scotch. No deal was announced.
China’s Role in U.S. Drug Supply Chains: What Policymakers Must Know
As the Trump Administration wraps up a 301 investigation on Pharmaceutical trade, the Brookings Institute published an article on China’s role in the U.S. drug supply chains.
APHIS AQI User Fee Rate Adjustment Effective October 1, 2025
On May 7, 2024, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) published a final rule amending its Agricultural Quarantine and Inspection (AQI) program user fee regulations.
APHIS reminds stakeholders that the regulations included annual rate adjustments on October 1st of each year through Fiscal Year 2028.
The user fee schedule and a link to the final rule are available on the APHIS AQI User Fee webpage. APHIS will update the webpage on October 1, 2025, to reflect the rate adjustments.
The AQI program uses a system of safeguards to facilitate the safe trade of agricultural commodities and protect U.S. agriculture and natural resources from invasive plant pests and animal diseases. APHIS and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Customs and Border Protection carry out AQI activities at all U.S. ports of entry. You can learn more about the AQI program on APHIS’ website. For questions, contact [email protected].
DHS Issues Semiannual Regulatory Agenda
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued it regulatory agenda is a semiannual summary of projected regulations, existing regulations, and completed actions of This agenda provides the public with information about DHS’s regulatory and deregulatory activity. DHS expects that this information will enable the public to be more aware of, and effectively participate in, the Department’s regulatory and deregulatory activity. DHS invites the public to submit comments on any aspect of this agenda.
WTO Says AI Could Boost Trade Nearly 40 Percent by 2040
On Wednesday, The World Trade Organization said, artificial intelligence (AI) is projected to boost the value of international trade in goods and services nearly 40 percent by 2040, but it also could deepen the “digital divide” between countries and within them.
“AI has vast potential to lower trade costs and boost productivity,” Director General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala said in the WTO’s annual World Trade Report. “However, access to AI technologies and the capacity to participate in digital trade remains highly uneven.”
AI-assisted gains in areas such as customer support, management consulting and software development are projected to help boost trade by 34 to 37 percent over the next 15 years and increase global GDP by 12 to 13 percent, the report said.
The largest gains are expected in digitally deliverable services, a vast category that includes telecommunications, cloud computing, online streaming, online education and training, digital software and various professional services like digital marketing and analytics.
Industry Insight:
Impact of De Minimis Suspension on Postal Operators
Recent policy changes eliminated de minimis exemptions for postal shipments, creating new challenges for duty collection on low-value goods. Clint Reid, Founder & CEO of Zonos, one of the companies qualified by CBP to collect duties on postal shipments, offers solutions helping postal operators stay compliant while keeping goods moving.
