WASHINGTON –Today, Senator Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) sent a letter to Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick urging the department to expand the section 232 tariffs on steel derivatives in order to cover the entire cost of imported steel-containing appliances.
“Trade data show that from 2018, when the original 232 tariffs were imposed, to today, imports of major home appliances have doubled from four Asian countries, all of whom import significant quantities of Chinese appliance-grade steel. Clearly, these imports are rising to evade the section 232 tariffs and undercut American appliance manufacturers and their workers who use domestic melted and poured steel and U.S. supply chains to manufacture products. It is critical that these orders from U.S. appliance manufacturers remain strong to support the goal of 80% capacity utilization in the U.S. steel industry,” wrote Moreno. “Taking action against these imports would benefit many U.S. industries, including companies in Ohio like Whirlpool, and lead to more good jobs, more consumption of U.S. steel, and a positive ripple effect through our economy. U.S. manufacturers have excess capacity ready to go to ensure that the market can absorb increased demand for U.S.-made appliances without shortages or exorbitant price increases.
Read the full letter HERE.