March 09, 2018

Castro Statement on Trump’s Tariff Imposition

Washington, D.C.– Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, today made the following statement:

“For years, the Chinese government has subsidized its steel and aluminum industries, flooding the United States and the international market with cheap steel. This has undoubtedly contributed to the loss of thousands of American jobs, and is a real challenge that affects the United States and our allies like Canada, Mexico, and South Korea.

“In an effort to address this issue, the President today imposed a 25 percent tariff on steel and a ten percent tariff on aluminum. These tariffs target close allies like South Korea and fail to adequately address the core issue of Chinese overcapacity in steel and aluminum. Further, the President’s linkage of these tariffs with NAFTA renegotiations clashes with the supposed national security rational for them in the first place. The President should instead be working with our allies to address just Chinese overcapacity in steel and aluminum through collective action.

“These tariffs will threaten jobs and manufacturing particularly in Texas, including the auto industry in San Antonio, and will affect billions of dollars in trade.”

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