Gooden Introduces Legislation to Strengthen U.S. Exports and Manufacturing

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Congressman Lance Gooden (TX-05) introduced the Foreign-Trade Zone Export Enhancement Act of 2025, bipartisan legislation that will strengthen U.S. manufacturing, promote exports to key trading partners, and protect American jobs.

The bill clarifies U.S. trade law to ensure goods produced in U.S. foreign-trade zones (FTZs) can be exported duty-free to Mexico and Canada under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA)-even when those goods include imported parts or materials.

"American manufacturers should never be punished for building here at home," said Congressman Gooden. "This bill cuts red tape, boosts U.S. exports, and strengthens trade with Mexico and Canada to keep good-paying jobs in America."

Key Provisions of the bill:

• Amends the Foreign-Trade Zones Act (19 U.S.C. 81c) to create a new tariff classification ensuring duty-free export eligibility for qualifying goods produced in U.S. FTZs.

• Requires CBP to implement clear, uniform regulations within 90 days of enactment.

• Prevents arbitrary rule changes or reclassifications that could disrupt U.S. manufacturing or export operations.

The bill is co-led by Rep. Vicente Gonzalez (TX-34) and cosponsored by Reps. Monica De La Cruz (TX-15), Virginia Foxx (NC-05), Mike Kelly (PA-16), and Vern Buchanan (FL-16).
"For the United States to remain competitive abroad and create new jobs at home, we must remove bureaucratic red tape that disrupts the flow of goods and increases costs for American manufacturers," said Congressman Gonzalez. "This bipartisan bill will help clarify duties and strengthen our supply chain by ensuring that manufacturers operating within an FTZ are treated fairly. It will also ensure that FTZs, including the Port of Brownsville, one of the consistently top-performing zones in our nation, can continue to expeditiously process merchandise through the South Texas region and ensure goods to our Mexican and Canadian trading partners are duty-free."

Additionally, the bill has received key industry support from the National Association of Foreign-Trade Zones.

"This legislation recognizes that U.S. manufacturers should not be penalized simply because they operate inside an FTZ," said NAFTZ President Jeff Tafel. "We commend Reps. Gooden, Gonzalez, De La Cruz, Foxx, Kelly, and Buchanan for advancing a solution that strengthens American competitiveness and keeps the decades-long promise of the U.S. FTZ program."

The bill text can be found here.