19 USC § 4512 - Relationship of the USMCA to United States and State law

---
identifier: "/us/usc/t19/s4512"
source: "usc"
legal_status: "official_prima_facie"
title: "19 USC § 4512 - Relationship of the USMCA to United States and State law"
title_number: 19
title_name: "CUSTOMS DUTIES"
section_number: "4512"
section_name: "Relationship of the USMCA to United States and State law"
chapter_number: 29
chapter_name: "UNITED STATES–MEXICO–CANADA AGREEMENT IMPLEMENTATION"
subchapter_number: "I"
subchapter_name: "APPROVAL OF, AND GENERAL PROVISIONS RELATING TO, THE USMCA"
positive_law: false
currency: "119-84"
last_updated: "2026-04-17"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
source_credit: "(Pub. L. 116–113, title I, § 102, Jan. 29, 2020, 134 Stat. 15.)"
---


# § 4512. Relationship of the USMCA to United States and State law

**(a)** **Relationship of USMCA to United States law**

**(1)** **United States law to prevail in conflict** No provision of the USMCA, nor the application of any such provision to any person or circumstance, which is inconsistent with any law of the United States, shall have effect.

**(2)** **Construction** Nothing in this Act shall be construed—

unless specifically provided for in this Act.

**(A)** to amend or modify any law of the United States, or

**(B)** to limit any authority conferred under any law of the United States,

**(b)** **Relationship of USMCA to State law**

**(1)** **Legal challenge** No State law, or the application thereof, may be declared invalid as to any person or circumstance on the ground that the provision or application is inconsistent with the USMCA, except in an action brought by the United States for the purpose of declaring such law or application invalid.

**(2)** **Definition of State law** For purposes of this subsection, the term “State law” includes—

**(A)** any law of a political subdivision of a State; and

**(B)** any State law regulating or taxing the business of insurance.

**(c)** **Effect of USMCA with respect to private remedies** No person other than the United States—

**(1)** shall have any cause of action or defense under the USMCA or by virtue of congressional approval thereof; or

**(2)** may challenge, in any action brought under any provision of law, any action or inaction by any department, agency, or other instrumentality of the United States, any State, or any political subdivision of a State, on the ground that such action or inaction is inconsistent with the USMCA.

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**Source Credit**: (Pub. L. 116–113, title I, § 102, Jan. 29, 2020, 134 Stat. 15.)

## Editorial Notes

### References in Text

This Act, referred to in subsec. (a)(2), is , , , known as the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement Implementation Act. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under  and Tables.