Today, 34 organizations signed on to a letter urging President Trump to remove the Section 232 tariffs on Canada and Mexico. Here are the highlights from the letter, which was sent to U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer:
“… the recent conclusion of the negotiations for the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), provides a chance for all sectors of the U.S. economy, including manufacturing, agriculture, services and technology, to benefit from continued regional economic integration, higher North American standards and enhanced regulatory cooperation. Tariffs on imports of steel and aluminum are entirely inconsistent with the overall goals of the USMCA.”
“… the continuation of these tariffs with respect to Mexico and Canada will create impediments to Congressional passage of the USMCA implementing bill given concerns expressed by members of Congress about the use of these tariffs with respect to our two closest allies. The business community supports the removal of this potential impediment to Congressional approval of the USMCA.”
“…Canada and Mexico have responded to these tariff actions and have imposed billions in tariffs on U.S. exports in response. These retaliatory measures, which many of us predicted, target a broad range of U.S. exports, including agricultural and chemical products. They are hurting American exporters, putting additional American jobs at risk and further harming our global competitiveness in some of our most successful export sectors.”
It is our understanding that the Administration is giving consideration to the idea of removing the steel and aluminum tariffs for Mexico and Canada but replacing them with the type of absolute quota regimes that are currently in place for South Korea, Brazil and Argentina (for steel) and Argentina (for aluminum). We strongly oppose this plan. Absolute quotas administered in the way that has been used with respect to imports from these countries have placed severe supply constraints on U.S. manufacturers and created even more business uncertainly than tariffs regarding exports from these countries.”
Here is the complete list of all the organizations that have signed on to the letter:
- Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers
- American Automotive Policy Council
- American Beverage Association
- American Chemistry Council
- American Exploration & Production Council
- American Wind Energy Association
- Associated Equipment Distributors
- Associated General Contractors of America
- Associate of Equipment Manufacturers
- Association of Global Automakers
- Auto Care Association
- Beer Institute
- Car Manufacturers Institute
- Coalition of American Metal Manufacturers and Users
- Flexible Packaging Association
- Freedom Partners Chamber of Commerce
- Grocery Manufacturers Association
- Hands-On Science Partnership
- Industrial Fasteners Institute
- Midwest Food Products Association
- Motor & Equipment Manufacturers Association
- National Automobile Dealers Association
- National Foreign Trade Council
- National Pork Producers Council
- National Retail Federation
- National Tooling and Machining Association
- North American Die Casting Association
- Precision Machined Products Association
- Precision Metalforming Association
- Shelf-Stable Food Processors Association
- Specialty Equipment Market Association
- Truck and Engine Manufacturers Association
- U.S. Chamber of Commerce
- World Trade Center Kentucky
