Casey announces tariff increase on China to protect PA manufacturers, jobs – LVB

U.S. Senator Bob Casey, D-PA, announced Friday that the Biden Administration has implemented a tariff increase on China to protect Pennsylvania workers, jobs, and manufacturers. 

Casey said the United States Trade Representative has finalized an increase on Section 301 tariffs to combat China’s unfair, anticompetitive practices. 

According to a release, Casey urged these increases as the Biden Administration reviewed these tariffs, warning that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) continues to cheat on trade and any reduction in tariffs would undermine American workers, jobs, and manufacturers in Pennsylvania and nationwide. 

“When we give American workers the opportunity to get ahead, we all succeed,” Casey said in a statement. “These tariff increases are a significant step to crack down on China’s trade cheating and protect American manufacturing and national security. We’re sending a clear signal to the Chinese Communist Party: when you try to bully and cheat your way to global economic dominance, we will fight back, and we will win.” 

Casey this week introduced legislation to strengthen American competitiveness in the global economy, crack down on trade cheating, and protect against economic and cybersecurity threats from China. The Combat Chinese Economic Aggression Act will strengthen U.S. manufacturing and technology by pushing back against China and other countries that seek to steal trade secrets and exert influence over American defense, manufacturing, infrastructure, telecommunications, and energy industries. 

In April, Casey and U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin, D-WI, urged the Biden Administration to investigate unfair trade practices by the CCP that undercut American shipbuilding, threaten national security, and damage American workers. Casey called on President Biden to maintain Section 301 tariffs. 

Last November, Casy sent a letter to President Biden sharing his concerns about potential reductions of Section 232 and 301 tariffs previously imposed on China on national security grounds. He also voted in November against a resolution to effectively remove Buy American standards for electric vehicle chargers and force the United States to continue relying on China for products critical to the next generation of clean vehicle infrastructure.