Hoyer Statement on New Steel and Aluminum Tariffs
Press Types
Press Release
For Immediate Release:
May 31, 2018
Contact Info:
Mariel Saez 202-225-3130
WASHINGTON, DC - House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) released the following statement today after the Trump Administration imposed new steel and aluminum tariffs on the European Union, Canada, and Mexico:
“No one doubts that China is unfairly dumping cheap steel and aluminum onto global markets, to the detriment of the American aluminum and steel industries and their workers. Unfortunately, the chaotic, stop-and-start implementation of the Administration’s policy has robbed American steel and aluminum workers of any benefit that could have been achieved by a tough, consistent approach targeted at China.
“Today’s action continues a pattern of focusing on the wrong target for the wrong reasons: starting a trade war with Canada, the European Union, and Mexico will do nothing to change China’s behavior. Instead, its most likely effects will be to disrupt supply chains for American businesses, hurt American workers in industries that use steel and aluminum, increase costs for American consumers, and put American agricultural and other exports at risk of retaliation. Our trade policies ought to be formulated out of common sense, not political posturing.”
“No one doubts that China is unfairly dumping cheap steel and aluminum onto global markets, to the detriment of the American aluminum and steel industries and their workers. Unfortunately, the chaotic, stop-and-start implementation of the Administration’s policy has robbed American steel and aluminum workers of any benefit that could have been achieved by a tough, consistent approach targeted at China.
“Today’s action continues a pattern of focusing on the wrong target for the wrong reasons: starting a trade war with Canada, the European Union, and Mexico will do nothing to change China’s behavior. Instead, its most likely effects will be to disrupt supply chains for American businesses, hurt American workers in industries that use steel and aluminum, increase costs for American consumers, and put American agricultural and other exports at risk of retaliation. Our trade policies ought to be formulated out of common sense, not political posturing.”