119-HR-4930 DC Insider Whip Count Analysis

Bill context and current status

What it does: narrowly amends 19 U.S.C. §1628a to let CBP share additional nonpublic data (e.g., images of goods, packaging, packing materials, platform‑generated information) with rights holders, carriers, and marketplaces when there’s reasonable suspicion of trademark/copyright violations. (govinfo.gov)

Status: reported 40–0 by House Ways & Means on December 10, 2025; scheduled on the House suspension calendar the week of April 27, 2026; passed the House by voice vote on April 27, 2026. (govinfo.gov)

Breakdown — expected support and opposition

Readouts reflect public positions/votes, institutional roles, and reliable reporting.

• House: Committee reported the bill 40–0 and the measure cleared the floor on suspension by voice vote — a classic bipartisan, non‑controversial signal. (govinfo.gov)
• Cosponsors include a bipartisan lead pair (Rep. Blake Moore, R‑UT; Rep. Brad Schneider, D‑IL) with six total listed on Congress.gov. (congress.gov)
• Senate: Companion measure (S. 2677) is in the Senate Finance Committee; bipartisan Senate validators (Grassley–Hassan) have already framed the policy as a targeted anti‑counterfeit fix. Expect broad party‑line support in both caucuses. (legiscan.com)
• Stakeholders: Major IP and brand‑protection coalitions (AIPLA, INTA, AAFA and others) are on record backing this authority, reducing intraparty friction. (aipla.org)
• Potential pockets of resistance: a small civil‑liberties/privacy bloc (e.g., Sens. Paul, Lee; some Democrats aligned with Wyden on data‑sharing limits) could seek guardrails on nonpublic data transfers. (paul.senate.gov)

Key legislators — pivotal to final outcome

Who has leverage and why.

• Sen. Mike Crapo (R‑ID), Chair, Senate Finance — gatekeeper for markup or direct hotline to the floor; no evident ideological friction with targeted IP enforcement. (finance.senate.gov)
• Sen. Ron Wyden (D‑OR), Ranking, Senate Finance — generally supportive of trade enforcement but vocal on privacy/border data abuses; likely to negotiate notice/limited‑use language rather than oppose outright. (finance.senate.gov)
• Sens. Chuck Grassley (R‑IA) and Maggie Hassan (D‑NH) — bipartisan Senate champions on the companion measure; provide cross‑caucus cover. (judiciary.senate.gov)
• Sen. Rand Paul (R‑KY) / Sen. Mike Lee (R‑UT) — most plausible UC holds if they perceive insufficient privacy safeguards around nonpublic information sharing. (paul.senate.gov)
• Floor control: Sen. John Thune (R‑SD), Majority Leader — can clear via hotline/UC if no holds; otherwise must allocate scarce floor time. (senate.gov)

Leadership influence and procedural dynamics

• House signals: Placement on the suspension calendar indicates leadership support and expectation of non‑controversial passage. (docs.house.gov)
• Senate path: Referred to Finance; most likely cleared by hotline and unanimous consent rather than consuming roll‑call time, given scope and stakeholder consensus. (legiscan.com)
• Institutional leverage: If a privacy hold appears, the bill can move with a brief manager’s amendment (e.g., clarifying limited use, notification, or data‑handling) to release UC. Precedent shows privacy‑minded senators extracting such tweaks on small security/CBP items. (wyden.senate.gov)
• Chamber control context: Republicans hold the Senate majority (Thune as Majority Leader), while House leadership has already advanced the bill; no Executive Branch headwinds (CBP messaging emphasizes stronger IPR enforcement). (senate.gov)

Assessment — whip count and odds

• Whip count read: With a 40–0 committee report, suspension passage in the House, and bipartisan Senate champions, support in both conferences is broad. Opposition is limited to a small privacy‑focused bloc. (govinfo.gov)
• Procedural outlook: High probability of hotline and UC passage in the Senate once staff clear any privacy language; if a hold materializes, expect a narrow amendment and swift passage. (legiscan.com)
• Timing: Near‑term window — fits easily into UC “wrap‑up” blocks amid crowded floor time; no Byrd‑Rule or budget hurdles since the committee report flags no new budget authority. (govinfo.gov)

Sourcing — primary references

Key documents grounding this assessment.

• Congress.gov bill page for H.R. 4930 (status, sponsorship, cosponsors). (congress.gov)
• House Ways & Means committee report (Dec 30, 2025) detailing text, scope, and vote. (govinfo.gov)
• House floor scheduling (suspension) for week of Apr 27, 2026. (docs.house.gov)
• News readout of House passage on Apr 27, 2026 (voice vote). (law360.com)
• Statutory baseline — 19 U.S.C. §1628a (current law). (law.cornell.edu)
• GAO testimony on need for improved CBP–rights‑holder information sharing. (gao.gov)
• Senate Finance control/leadership and ranking. (finance.senate.gov)
• Senate companion/referral (S. 2677 to Finance) and bipartisan Senate messaging (Grassley–Hassan). (legiscan.com)
• Industry coalition endorsements (AIPLA/INTA; AAFA). (aipla.org)
• Leadership context: House and Senate leadership references. (clerk.house.gov)