The United Steelworkers (USW) union released a statement today after the US House Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee hearing “Product Exclusion Process for Section 232 Tariffs on Steel and Aluminum.” Roy Houseman, a representative from the USW, testified at the hearing.
Houseman said “it is critical that the Department of Commerce have a clear, focused process in considering exclusions to the Section 232 tariffs.”
Exclusions should be limited in time and scope, Houseman said, and the DOC should be diligent in uncovering inaccurate or misleading requests. Houseman also said the exclusion process should allow for public comment.
“Tariffs alone cannot be the solution to illegal dumping and global excess capacity,” Houseman said. “However, until we can devise a comprehensive plan to address these problems, we must not undermine the benefits that these tariffs are already providing.”
Rather than granting unnecessary exclusions, Houseman said the government should encourage domestic production “so that the United States truly can meet its own needs in these vital sectors.”